The Prospector 5 drilling platform owned by Borr Drilling sank near the shores of Mayumba, Gabon on October 24, 2023, resulting in the death of one worker and four others missing. At the time of the incident, the platform had 115 people on board.
Incident Details
One of the five initially missing persons, an Indian national, has been identified and confirmed deceased. The other four missing individuals include three Gabonese nationals and one foreign worker. According to officials, preliminary information indicates that the drilling platform experienced an incident during pre-loading activities, leading to a loss of stability and ultimately the sinking of the platform.
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Post-Incident Actions
The Gabon Ministry of Oil and Gas has established a crisis unit to manage the situation and has instructed the navy to enhance search and rescue operations. Additionally, the Minister of Oil and Gas, Clotaire Kondja, announced that a technical investigation is underway.
The Prospector 5 platform was contracted to support BW Energy's drilling operations in the Dussafu Marin area of Gabon and had not yet commenced drilling. This drilling platform is located in the Dussafu Marin license area, where BW Energy owns 73.5% and Panoro Energy owns 17.5%.
Borr Drilling's management, Bruno Morand, expressed deep concern for the missing individuals and all those affected by this incident, emphasizing that the company's immediate priority is to support ongoing search and rescue efforts.
Panoro Energy reported that production has been halted and there are no reports of damage or accidental discharges. The Gabon Ministry of Oil and Gas also emphasized that no harmful discharges have been observed and resources for pollution response are currently deployed to protect the shores and the Mayumba National Park.
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