Fire on Offshore Oil Platform at Vietnam’s First Decommissioning Project

On Wednesday, a significant fire broke out at the Song Doc offshore oil platform in Vietnam, marking a notable incident for the country’s first decommissioning project.

While local news outlets like Viet Nam News reported one fatality and seven injuries, official sources have yet too confirm these details. However, authorities stated that they managed to control the blaze within half an hour.

The Song Doc platform has been pivotal since its revelation in 2006 and began operations in 2008 under PVEP POC, a subsidiary of Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation. Initially producing around 28,000 barrels daily, it was considered a modest but essential asset for Vietnam’s energy sector.

After two investment partners exited due to rising costs making operations unfeasible in 2013, PVEP POC took full ownership. The company continued extracting resources until declaring the well depleted earlier this year.

The platform officially halted production in February 2024 and submitted plans for its decommissioning—plans that received regulatory approval shortly thereafter.

The fire reportedly ignited while subcontractors were cleaning the site during decommissioning efforts on wednesday afternoon. Details about how many workers were present remain unclear as footage shows firefighting boats battling the flames.

PVEP POC assured that there was no environmental pollution from this incident and confirmed that other nearby oil and gas operations remained unaffected. An inquiry into what caused the fire is currently underway.

Sitting about 125 miles south of Ca Mau Cape at Vietnam’s southern tip within the Gulf of Thailand, Song Doc has been an integral part of Vietnam’s offshore advancement landscape over recent years.