A fire, which broke out on an oil platform off the coast of Angola, has caused 17 people to suffer injuries. Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC), a subsidiary of the U.S.-headquartered energy giant Chevron, operates the deepwater platform.
The fire occurred on May 20, 2025, on the basement deck of CABGOC’s Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) deepwater platform in Block 14 offshore Cabinda. The incident happened when the BBLT facility was undergoing annual maintenance as part of a scheduled shutdown, with all production at the site shut down since May 1, 2025.
According to the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), all 17 individuals who were injured in the incident, including the four who suffered serious injuries, are on land and receiving appropriate medical care. While the cause of the incident is under investigation, Angola’s regulator has confirmed that CABGOC responded immediately and successfully extinguished the fire, with all protocols activated to implement emergency response procedures and notify the relevant authorities.
ANPG underlined: “The main priorities of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, the National Concessionaire and the operator are to ensure the safety of all personnel, ensure the best possible care for the injured and determine the root cause of the incident. “The National Agency for Oil, Gas and Biofuels reiterates its commitment to the well-being of the population and remains focused on ensuring effective and transparent communication with all stakeholders.”
Block 14 within the Lower Congo Basin covers approximately 1,500 square miles (4,000 square kilometers), in water depths extending from approximately 600 to 6,000 feet (180 to 1,800 meters). The BBLT project, situated approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) offshore in around 1,300 feet (396 meters) of water, was envisioned to be developed in two phases.
While Phase 1 for Benguela Belize was set to combine an integrated drilling and production platform hub facility supported by a compliant piled tower, Phase 2 was planned for Lobito Tomboco to produce via subsea wells tied into the central production hub.
Chevron, which has been present in Angola since the 1930s, has an operated interest in two concessions: Block 0 off the coast of Cabinda province and Block 14 in deepwater. Aside from this, the firm holds a non-operated interest in an onshore joint venture, Angola LNG, a 5.2 million-metric-ton-per-year plant in Soyo.
In addition, CABGOC signed a production sharing agreement (PSA) in 2023 to operate the Block 14/23 (B14/23) concession area in the zone of common interest (ZIC), established between Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo maritime area.
Chevron is also actively developing its assets elsewhere, as confirmed by the start of production from its deepwater oil and gas project in the Gulf of America, formerly the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.