Oil Platform off Congo Consumed by Suspicious Fire Total SA says two killed in fire at Congo oil field, production halted The Associated PressPublished: May 10, 2007:
BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo: A fire at an oil field operated by Total SA killed two people and injured two others, the French petroleum giant said Thursday. The fire halted production causing a loss of 60,000 barrels a day, company officials said in a statement disseminated on state-run radio.
The cause of the blaze at the Kossa oil field, around 570 kilometers (354 miles) from Brazzaville, was unknown. Flames engulfed the oil field before dawn, and the fire was still burning late Thursday. Company officials said their investigation so far had turned up a suspicious boat, its hull and body completely burned.
"The company has announced the halt of production until further notice. Our refinery was not touched, but for the moment the blaze continues," the statement said.
IHT
Two workers killed in fire at Total platform off Congo coast
05.10.07, 12:38 PM ET
PARIS (Thomson Financial) - Two workers were killed this morning in a fire on a Total oil platform off the coast of Congo, the country's national radio reported.
According to the radio, Total said in a statement that the causes of the fire at the Nkossa platform, located 50 km off the south-west coastline of Congo, were not immediately known.
The two Congolese workers who died in the fire were employees of Norwegian drilling company Seadrill.
AFX/Forbes
While Congo isn't a significant global oil producer, its output consists largely of low-sulfur crudes, which are coveted due to their ease of processing into gasoline.
OsterDowJones 5/10/07 ODJ 18:07:43