Borr Drilling Confirms Fourth Death in Gabon Rig Sinking, One Missing
Borr Drilling has confirmed the recovery of a fourth body following the sinking of its Prospector 5 jack-up rig offshore Gabon, with search operations continuing for one person still missing.
The company said on November 2 that the body of a fourth individual had been located during ongoing search and rescue operations, bringing the number of confirmed fatalities to four.
All four bodies have been recovered and are being transported to Port Gentil, Gabon.
The Prospector 5 sank offshore Gabon on October 24 while preparing for a drilling campaign on BW Energy's Dussafu Marine licence.
Of the 115 people aboard the rig when it sank, 110 were rescued, leaving five initially unaccounted for.
Three bodies were located inside the submerged rig on October 28 during underwater inspections using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
The rig experienced a punch-through event during preload operations and lost stability while preparing for the MaBoMo Phase 2 drilling campaign. The incident occurred at approximately 8:37 p.m. local time on October 24.
Borr Drilling said it has engaged an unnamed classification society with experience in offshore and maritime incident investigations to conduct an independent investigation into the sinking.
The investigation will seek to establish the root cause of the incident, with all potential causes of the rig's loss of stability to be examined.
“This continues to be an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved, and above all, for the families and loved ones of the four individuals who have lost their lives and for the individual who remains missing. Our priority remains staying close to them and our employees, providing all the care and support we can.
“It is also critically important to establish a thorough and objective understanding of what occurred and all possible causes of a catastrophic loss of stability are in scope and will be considered. The investigation will fully consider all evidence and assess every potential cause before reaching a final determination,” said Bruno Morand, CEO of Borr Drilling.
A judicial investigation into the incident was also opened on October 25.
Built in 2014, the Prospector 5 was an F&G JU-2000E jack-up drilling rig with a maximum operating water depth of 400 feet and a maximum drilling depth of 35,000 feet.
The sinking has also affected BW Energy's drilling plans offshore Gabon.
BW Energy said on October 29 that the incident would delay first oil from the MaBoMo Phase 2 campaign, with the company assessing the impact on its drilling schedule and 2027 production outlook.
The remaining Phase 2 wells will be considered within the wider Dussafu drilling program, while BW Energy maintains its target of producing more than 100,000 barrels of oil per day in 2028.
Production at the MaBoMo facility, which was shut down during preparations for the drilling campaign, has resumed, with no damage identified at BW Energy's facilities.
