UPDATED: Three dead in explosion off Brazil

Three workers have now been killed following an explosion offshore Brazil. On Friday (9 June), Petrobras had reported that one person had died and three were injured as a result of an explosion aboard the NS-32 (Norbe VIII) drillship. 

NS-32 (Norbe VIII) drillship. Image from OOG.

According to Sindipetro-NF, a workers' union, the blast occurred at 7:48 a.m. local time. Petrobras said the incident occurred in one of the drillship's boilers. 

“There was no subsequent fire or production impact in the Marlim field. There is no risk of leakage,” Petrobras said in a statement. “The emergency plan was triggered immediately and specialized teams are monitoring the probe, which is already in safe condition.”

The drillship is in the Marlim field, in the Campos Basin, and is under charter from Odebrecht Oil & Gas (OOG). 

Twenty-nine-year-old IMI worker Ericson Nascimento de Freitas died from his injuries on Friday.

Eduardo Aragão de Lima, 33, was hospitalized at the HPM in Macaé and died at 12:20 a.m. on Sunday. Jorge Luiz Daminão, 44, has also died. One other, who was sent to hospital, has seen been released to his home. 

The incident is currently under investigation by Brazilian authorities. 

Sindipetro said: "Three lives were taken, because of the irresponsible way in which the workers and the workers of the oil sector are treated, acting as human beings were merely mere numbers and obstacles to the profit of the Brazilian and world elite."

Norbe VIII is a DSME 10000, 6th generation DP3 drillship built in 2011 and able to work in up to 10,000m water depth.

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