Major Explosion at Brazilian Offshore Oil Platform Leaves Workers Severely Burned and Falling ! 巴西海上油气平台发生爆炸！有人严重烧伤坠海！

Major Explosion at Brazilian Offshore Oil Platform Leaves Workers Severely Burned and Falling !

巴西海上油气平台发生爆炸！有人严重烧伤坠海！

On Monday, April 21, a severe fire broke out on an offshore oil platform in Brazil's Campos Basin that was up for sale, resulting in multiple injuries. This fixed platform, currently in the asset transfer phase, had its accident cause still under investigation.

当地时间4月21日（周一），巴西位于坎波斯盆地（Campos）的一处待售海上油气平台发生严重火灾事故，造成多名工人受伤。这座即将出售的固定式平台，正处于资产移交阶段，当前事故原因仍在调查中。

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According to the Northern Branch of the Brazilian Petroleum Workers' Union (Sindipetro-NF), the fire started at 7:20 a.m. and is suspected to have been caused by an explosion in the production deck area. The fire spread rapidly with thick smoke. After the platform's fire system was activated, two fireboats worked together and managed to extinguish the open flames by 11:25 a.m. Non-essential personnel were evacuated from the platform that afternoon, and the injured were transferred to shore-based hospitals via support vessels. The accident led to the suspension of natural gas loading operations in the area but did not trigger any secondary environmental disasters.

据巴西石油工人工会北方分会（Sindipetro-NF）披露，火灾始于7时20分，疑因生产甲板区域发生爆炸，火势伴随浓烟迅速蔓延。平台消防系统启动后，两艘消防船协同作业，历时4小时于11时25分扑灭明火。非必要人员已于当日下午完成撤离，伤者通过海上支持船转移至岸上医院。事故导致该区域天然气装载作业中断，未引发次生环境灾害。

Official reports indicate that one worker sustained severe burns and fell overboard before being rescued by a support vessel and transferred to a hospital for treatment. Additionally, 13 others were injured. However, the union disclosed more severe casualty figures: as of that evening, 32 people had been confirmed injured, including 14 with burns and the rest suffering from smoke inhalation injuries. Currently, all non-essential personnel have been evacuated.

官方通报显示，1名工人因严重烧伤坠海，后被支援船救起并转移至医院治疗，另有13人受伤。但工会披露的伤亡数据更为严重：截至当晚已有32人确诊受伤，其中14人为烧伤，其余为烟雾吸入性损伤。目前所有非必要人员已完成撤离。

Background on the Platform's Asset Status and Transaction

涉事平台资产状态与交易背景

Built in the 1980s, the platform is located in water depths of 120-140 meters, approximately 130 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Along with its sister platform, it ceased oil and gas production in 2020 and has since only served as a natural gas transfer hub for other facilities in the Campos Basin. In April 2024, a French company acquired a portfolio of oil field assets, including the two platforms, for $10 million, planning to complete the transfer in 2025 and initiate redevelopment with the goal of restoring daily crude oil production to 10,000-15,000 barrels and unlocking over 500 million barrels of reserves.

该平台始建于1980年代，水深120-140米，距离里约热内卢海岸约130公里。该平台与姊妹平台自2020年起停止油气生产，仅承担坎波斯盆地其他设施的天然气中转功能。2024年4月，法国公司以1,000万美元收购包括两座平台在内的多个油田资产包，计划2025年完成交割后启动再开发，目标恢复日产原油1-1.5万桶并释放超5亿桶储量。

It is worth noting that this French company had previously demonstrated its capability to revitalize aging facilities by boosting crude oil production from 2,800 barrels per day to 20,000 barrels per day through equipment upgrades in its asset cluster in the Campos Basin. However, this accident may impact the safety review process for asset transfer by regulatory authorities. Industry insiders suggest that this incident once again highlights the safety hazards of aging offshore facilities and is likely to spark a new round of discussions on the delineation of safety responsibilities during oil and gas asset transactions.

值得关注的是，该法国公司此前在坎波斯盆地的资产群运营中，通过设备改造将原油日产量从2,800桶提升至2万桶，展现了其对老旧设施的激活能力。但此次事故或将影响监管部门对资产移交的安全审查节奏。业内人士指出，此次事件再次凸显老旧海上设施的安全隐患，或将引发对油气资产交易过程中安全责任界定的新一轮讨论。

This platform accident coincides with a critical period of asset restructuring in Brazil's offshore oil and gas industry. In recent years, Brazil's oil companies have been aggressively divesting non-core assets. Since 2023, over 30 aging platforms, accounting for 15% of the country's offshore facilities, have been sold. According to an analysis firm, the average service life of these facilities has reached 35 years, with over half suffering from equipment aging issues. Following this accident, Brazil's National Petroleum Agency (ANP) announced the launch of a special safety review, requiring all pending transactions to submit emergency maintenance records and risk contingency plans, which may result in at least five asset transfers being delayed.

此次平台事故恰逢巴西海上油气行业资产重组的关键期。近年来，巴西的石油公司持续推进非核心资产剥离计划，2023年至今已出售超30座老旧平台，占其海上设施总数的15%。某分析机构指出，此类设施平均服役年限已达35年，超半数存在设备老化问题。此次事故后，巴西国家石油管理局（ANP）宣布将启动专项安全审查，要求所有待交易平台提交紧急维护记录及风险预案，或导致至少5项资产交易延迟交割。

Accident Causes and Investigation Directions

事故诱因与调查方向

According to the preliminary report from Brazil's National Petroleum Agency (ANP), the platform explosion may have involved three technical failures:

• Equipment aging and corrosion: Since the platform was shut down in 2020, it has been maintained with minimal operational support. Its deck piping system, which has been in service for over 35 years, showed records of weld fatigue cracking. In the third quarter of 2023, seven high-risk corrosion points were identified.
• Responsibility vacuum during the transition period: The French oil company had planned to strengthen the platform structure after the 2025 transfer. However, the asset is currently still under the custody of Petrobras, the Brazilian state-owned oil company. The union disclosed that since the fourth quarter of 2024, the platform's maintenance team has been reduced from 120 to 45 personnel, and the calibration cycle for critical equipment such as gas detectors has been extended from three months to nine months.
• Operational procedure conflicts: At the time of the accident, the platform was performing dual tasks of natural gas transfer and equipment decommissioning, with conflicting operational procedures. Surveillance footage shows that 15 minutes before the explosion, the methane concentration in the deck area had reached 60% of the lower explosive limit, yet the automatic cutoff system failed to activate.

根据巴西国家石油管理局（ANP）初步通报，该平台爆炸或存在三重技术失效：

1. 设备老化与腐蚀：平台自2020年停产后维持最低限度运维，其甲板管道系统服役超35年，焊缝疲劳裂纹检测记录显示，2023年第三季度已存在7处高风险腐蚀点；
2. 过渡期责任真空：法国石油公司原计划在2025年交割后启动平台结构加固，但当前资产仍由巴西国家石油公司托管。工会披露，自2024年第四季度起，平台维保团队从120人缩减至45人，关键设备如气体探测器校准周期从3个月延长至9个月；
3. 作业规程冲突：事故发生时，平台正执行天然气中转与设备封存双重任务，操作手册存在流程矛盾。现场监控显示，爆炸前15分钟甲板区域可燃气体浓度已达爆炸下限的60%，但未触发自动切断系统。

Major Accident Cases of Brazilian Offshore Oil Platforms

巴西海上油气平台爆炸重大事故案例

March 15, 2001: Explosion on a Semi-Submersible Drilling Platform

The P-36 platform operated by Petrobras in the Campos Basin suffered three explosions and a subsequent fire. One worker was killed, and nine went missing. The platform tilted at 30 degrees due to pillar damage, posing a risk of sinking and potentially leaking 1,500 cubic meters of crude oil and diesel, raising concerns of an environmental catastrophe.

Subsequent impacts: The accident caused the operating company's stock price to plunge by 6.8%, and the Brazilian currency exchange rate hit a two-year low. The platform accounted for 75% of Brazil's daily oil production, and the incident had a significant impact on the Brazilian economy.

2001年3月15日：半潜式钻井平台爆炸

巴西运营的P-36平台在坎波斯盆地发生三次爆炸并引发大火，导致1名工人死亡、9人失踪。平台因支柱损毁倾斜30度，存在沉没风险，可能泄漏1500立方米原油和柴油，引发环境灾难担忧。

后续影响：事故导致运营公司股价暴跌6.8%，巴西货币汇率创两年新低。该平台日产油量占全国75%，事故对巴西经济造成冲击。

February 11, 2015: Explosion on a Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel Due to Natural Gas Leakage

A floating production storage and offloading vessel in the Santos Basin exploded due to a natural gas leak. The accident resulted in nine deaths, six missing persons, and ten injuries. At the time of the accident, there were 74 workers on the platform, with some evacuating via lifeboats.

Investigation and response: Brazil's National Petroleum Agency (ANP) intervened in the investigation and confirmed no oil leakage risks. The company (platform operator) announced plans to restart the facility and continue employing workers.

2015年2月11日：浮式生产储卸油船因天然气泄漏爆炸

位于圣埃斯皮里图盆地的浮式生产储卸油船因天然气泄漏引发爆炸，最终确认9人死亡、6人失踪、10人受伤。事故发生时平台上有74名工人，部分人员通过救生艇撤离。

调查与处理：巴西国家石油管理局（ANP）介入调查，确认无漏油风险。公司（平台运营商）宣布将重启该设施并继续雇佣员工。

These cases highlight the long-standing safety hazards in Brazil's offshore oil and gas industry. Data shows that in 2024, Brazil experienced 731 offshore petroleum accidents, resulting in 183 injuries and one death, primarily occurring on equipment installation and support vessels. Historical accidents are often related to equipment aging, natural gas leaks, and insufficient emergency management, posing ongoing threats to the economy, the environment, and personnel safety.

This platform accident serves as a wake-up call for the global oil and gas industry. As crucial facilities for offshore energy production, oil and gas platforms face numerous complex operational environments and risk factors. Equipment aging, lack of maintenance, and inadequate management can all increase the likelihood of explosions and other safety incidents. These incidents not only endanger human lives but also result in significant economic losses and environmental damage. With the accelerated turnover of global oil and gas assets, how to clarify responsibility boundaries during transaction transition periods and strengthen lifecycle regulation poses a significant challenge to the industry.

上述案例凸显巴西海上油气行业长期存在的安全隐患。数据显示，2024年巴西共发生731起海上石油安全事故，造成183人受伤和1人死亡，主要发生在设备安装和支持船上。历史事故多与设备老化、天然气泄漏及应急管理不足相关，对经济、环境及人员安全构成持续威胁。

此次平台事故为全球油气行业敲响了安全警钟。油气平台作为海上能源生产的重要设施，面临着诸多复杂的作业环境与风险因素。平台的设备老化、维护缺失以及管理不到位，都会增加爆炸等安全事故的发生概率，不仅对人员生命安全构成威胁，还会造成巨大的经济损失和环境危害。随着全球油气资产加速流转，如何在交易过渡期厘清责任边界、强化全生命周期监管，更加考验行业智慧。