Incident on FPSO Espoir Ivoirien

An incident which led to two fatalities occurred while work was being performed in a cargo tank onboard the FPSO Espoir Ivoirien, BW Offshore has revealed.

The incident, which was caused by a leakage of hydrocarbons into the tank where the work was being conducted, took place at 1.30pm local time on January 14. The vessel was operating on the Espoir field offshore the Ivory Coast.

BW Offshore noted that next of kin had been informed and that production had been shut down. The leak was said to have been contained within the cargo tank, with all personnel accounted for. The FPSO is operated by BW Offshore for CNR International. Both companies are cooperating with local authorities in addressing the situation, BW Offshore confirmed.

“This is a tragic day for the families of the men we have lost, and our hearts go out to them”, Marco Beenen, the chief executive officer of BW Offshore, said in a company statement.

The Espoir Ivoirien has an oil production capacity of 45,000 barrels per day, an oil handling capacity of 58,000 barrels per day, a gas compression capacity of 80 million cubic feet per day and a storage capacity of 1.1 million barrels, according to BW Offshore’s website. The vessel, which has an LQ capacity of 103 people, measures 882 feet in length and 177 feet in width, BW Offshore’s website shows.

BW Offshore describes itself as a leading provider of floating production services. The company, which originated in 1982, operates all around the world and is represented in all the major oil and gas regions, its website highlights. CNR is an effective and efficient operator with a diversified portfolio of assets in North America, the UK North Sea and Offshore Africa, according to its website, which shows that the company is re-developing the Espoir field.

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