27 sick with covid19 on bpTT oil rig

SOME 27 workers on a bpTT oil rig have contracted the covid19 virus, the company said in a brief statement on Friday from its communications adviser Luis Araujo.

He said, bp Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) "can confirm that as part of testing conducted on the Maersk Discoverer drilling rig during the period May 3-9, 27 persons have tested positive for covid19.

"All those who have tested positive for covid19 are receiving care at approved isolation facilities."

BPTT has been working with the Ministry of Health in managing the cases and their primary contacts.

The statement said only essential personnel remain on the rig, which was said to have undergone deep sanitisation.

"Our priorities remain the health and safety of all persons who work for us and we will continue to take the necessary measures to safeguard all personnel."

The website of Maersk Drilling, which contracts out its oil rigs to energy companies all over the world, said the Maersk Discoverer can accommodate up to 180 individuals. It is a semi-submersible drilling rig which operates in a water depth of 500-3,000 metres and at a maximum drilling depth of 10,000 metres.

On April 22, two other oil companies, Shell TT Ltd and EOG Resources Ltd, reported covid19 cases among employees.

Shell said ten people on board its Dolphin facility were positive, while EOG reported an unstated number of cases at its shore base at Chaguaramas.

On that day the Ministry of Health'ts daily update said 23 people on offshore platforms were among the country's 167 new cases.

Shell and EOG each stated their commitment to take care of their workers and sanitise those facilities.