Fire breaks out on Vietnam's offshore oil rig during decommissioning

According to Petrovietnam Domestic Exploration Production Operating Co. Ltd (PVEP POC), the incident occurred while a subcontractor was performing cleaning and dismantling work on the old extraction rig at the Song Doc oil field.

The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes and did not impact the surrounding environment or other oil and gas operations, the company said.

PVEP POC noted that the Song Doc field had been depleted and ceased operations in February 2024. No production activities were underway at the time of the fire. An investigation is currently being conducted in coordination with relevant parties to determine the cause.

Located about 205 kilometers south of Ca Mau Cape, the Song Doc field was discovered in 2006. It is a small-scale oil field with a peak expected output of around 28,000 barrels per day.

Originally operated by PVEP in partnership with two other investors, the field faced high extraction costs and declining output, eventually falling below economic viability. The partners gradually withdrew, and PVEP continued to operate the field alone from November 2013 to extract remaining resources.

The field was officially shut down at the end of 2023, and decommissioning of the oil wells began in preparation for removing the drilling rig.