Tragedy Strikes Vietnam's Inaugural Offshore Oil Platform Decommissioning: One Fatality and Seven Injured in Blaze

A recent incident on the Song Doc offshore oil platform in Vietnam has raised concerns after a fire erupted on May 21, resulting in one fatality and injuries to seven others. This unfortunate event took place during the decommissioning phase of Vietnam’s inaugural offshore oil platform.

Fortunately, authorities managed to extinguish the blaze within half an hour, and they reported no environmental damage or disruption to nearby oil operations. The fire broke out while a subcontractor was engaged in cleaning and dismantling tasks for Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) through its subsidiary PVEP POC.While it’s unclear how many workers were present at the time of the incident,footage from local sources showed firefighting boats actively battling the flames. Reports from outlets like Viet Nam news confirmed one death and seven injuries; though, these figures are still pending official verification. Officials reassured that surrounding environments remained unaffected and that production activities at adjacent sites continued without interruption.

The Song Doc field is situated roughly 125 miles south of Ca Mau Cape in the Gulf of Thailand. discovered back in 2006, it began producing oil two years later under a joint venture involving Talisman Energy, Petronas carigali, and PetroVietnam. At its peak, this platform produced around 28,000 barrels daily.

In 2013, both foreign partners exited due to escalating operational costs that rendered further investment unfeasible. Since then, PVEP POC has taken full control over operations with plans to gradually deplete resources—an endeavor they completed by early 2024 when production officially ceased.

Following this shutdown, PVEP POC laid out an extensive plan for safely decommissioning and removing the Song Doc platform—a proposal regulators approved without delay. The task of well plugging and abandonment was awarded to Petrovietnam Technical Services Corporation alongside Petrovietnam Drilling.

As investigations into what sparked this fire commence, officials have reiterated their commitment to ensuring safety protocols are followed diligently across all ongoing projects in the region—highlighting how crucial it is for companies operating within high-risk industries like oil extraction to prioritize worker safety above all else.