Chevron Nigeria rig still on fire, two missing
Abuja, January 17, 2012
Two workers were missing after fire broke out on a drilling rig in Chevron's Funiwa oil facility in southeast Nigeria on Monday, Chevron said.
"Search and rescue has successfully found 152 of 154 personnel. We expect all of those rescued to be onshore and checked medically. The fire is still burning. Early well control activation is ongoing," Chevron spokesman Scott Walker said.
Local people reported a loud explosion on the rig early on Monday. "I heard a really loud bang and there was a fire," local village chief Young Fabby, 55, said by telephone.
Walker earlier said Chevron was "still investigating the incident and... working to fully understand what happened." He said the fire broke out on the KS Endeavor jack-up rig.
There was some "sheen around the well that is being investigated," he said. – Reuters