By Brazil Stock Guide – A gas leak forced the full shutdown of Petrobras’s P-40 offshore platform on Thursday (18) in Brazil’s Campos Basin, according to the Sindipetro-NF oil workers’ union. The stoppage was adopted as a safety measure, with workers kept in secure areas while the gas dispersed.
The union said the unit halted all operations after the leak was detected during the morning. Preventive suspensions were also reported at other operations in the Campos Basin following the incident.
“The platform remains shut down, with all workers in a safe location, awaiting gas dispersion. So far, there is no information about victims. Sindipetro-NF is monitoring the case and seeking clarification from the company,” the union said in a statement.
Petrobras SA (NYSE: PBR) did not immediately comment on the incident. The company said contingency teams — employees assigned to replace striking workers — were mobilized where operationally necessary.
P-40 is among 28 offshore units in the Campos Basin affected by a strike, with 100% adherence by oil workers, according to the Unified Federation of Oil Workers (FUP). Petrobras has stated that contingency staff have been deployed to maintain essential activities during the labor action.
Operating since 2001, P-40 is a floating production, storage and offloading unit adapted for semi-submersible production. The platform is located in the Marlim Sul field, offshore Rio de Janeiro state.