Chevron CEO warned staff of safety issues before fatal Angola platform fire
Last year the company recorded 12 serious injuries and one fatality, according to its corporate sustainability report. Some of the injured workers from the Angola fire are still receiving treatment, said Clay Neff, Chevron's recently named president of upstream, in a separate video message to staff on May 30, which was also viewed by Reuters.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way and the company expects to learn more in the coming weeks, he added.
Chevron has held what Wirth called safety stand-downs across the business, or meetings to discuss safety.
'We prioritise safety above production, and we show it through actually stopping production, and have the time to talk to folks and hear from them as well," said Marissa Badenhorst, Chevron's vice-president of health, safety and environment, in an interview with Reuters. "We hear what is getting in their way, what they're concerned about … and then we learn and we start work back up.'
In his May 30 video addressing the Angola incident, Neff echoed Wirth's earlier message, telling staff that there was an increase in reported incidents across the business that could have resulted in serious injuries or fatalities, many involving routine daily tasks. "These were close calls where seconds or feet could have changed everything and they are stark reminders no one is immune," he said.
Neff called on employees to understand risks, do proper planning and understand what skill sets are required: "Nothing matters more than everyone going home safe."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
US redraws Africa policy map, what's in it for African leaders?
Early in July 2025, the White House announced that it would hold a US-Africa conference with five African states. According to Semafor and Reuters , the conference will take place in Washington, D.C., from 9 to 11 July 2025. Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal are among the invited leaders. The news of the summit comes after a series of US diplomatic engagements with African leaders, including Trump's meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2025. According to officials, the summit would prioritise business over aid, which is consistent with Trump's bid for a second term. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the United States will no longer fund charity-based aid programs. According to Rubio, when the United States distributes aid in the future, it will give preference to nations that exhibit self-sufficiency and a dedication to reform. The senior bureau official for African Affairs at the US State Department, Troy Fitrell, announced the evaluation of ambassadors based on commercial partnership. At the AmCham meeting in Côte d'Ivoire, Fitrell gave a presentation on a six-point trade strategy. Furthermore, to improve trade between the US and Africa, the strategy includes tariff reform and infrastructure investment. Following the US-mediated DRC-Rwanda peace deal on 27 June 2025, the meeting, which focuses on trade and investment, highlights the Trump administration's strategy of linking peace and stability in Africa to economic opportunities and access to vital resources. The conference marks a continuation of increased US-African engagement. Unlike his predecessors, Trump did not hold an African summit in his first term in office. Trump is scheduled to meet with African leaders in a multilateral setting for the first time after his reelection. The goal of the Trump administration is to replace humanitarian initiatives with business partnerships. The summit will amplify cooperation on regional security and resource access in West Africa. U.S. leaders emphasise private sector-led development as a means of fostering collaborative prosperity. Furthermore, African leaders will be proposing investment reforms. The outcomes will impact future US-African relations, according to the White House. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
France's Orano says its Niger uranium mine on verge of bankruptcy
French uranium miner Orano said on Wednesday its majority-owned joint venture with Niger, SOMAIR, is on the verge of bankruptcy as a result of export restrictions imposed by Niger's military government. Orano was forced to suspend production at SOMAIR after authorities halted exports last year. Niger's government seized the operation in December and announced plans to nationalise it last month, joining a wave of West African governments seeking greater control of natural resources from foreign companies. Niger, which also exports gold and coal, is the world's seventh-largest uranium producer. The country accounted for about 15% of Orano's uranium supply when its local unit operated at full capacity. Orano told Reuters in emailed responses to questions that it had been flagging SOMAIR's worsening financial position since October as its year-long dispute with the West African nation escalated. "The Nigerien authorities' insistence on continuing production expenses at any cost has led to the current situation where the SOMAIR company is on the verge of bankruptcy," Orano said. Niger's ministry of mines did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Orano's assessment of the unit's financial position.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Tesla stares down a second year of dwindling sales
Tesla is headed for another year of shrinking sales after it posted a second straight drop in quarterly deliveries, dragged down by CEO Elon Musk's right-wing political stances and an ageing vehicle line-up that has turned off some buyers. The carmaker now needs to deliver more than one million vehicles in the typically strong second half to avoid another annual sales decline — a task that some analysts say could prove difficult due to tariff-driven economic uncertainty and threats to phase out key EV incentives under the Trump administration's sweeping tax bill, including the $7,500 (R131,620) credit on new sales and leases. It reported on Wednesday that deliveries fell 13.5% in the second quarter, missing analysts' expectations, despite Musk saying in April that sales had turned a corner. Shares, down about a quarter this year, rose 4.5% as the drop was less severe than the bleakest analysts views, partly helped by a modest demand recovery in the competitive Chinese market, where its refreshed Model Y has gained some traction. Some investors welcomed the numbers, though with caution. 'You need two dots to draw a line. I don't think you can get too excited yet until you have some confirmation (of a demand recovery),' said Camelthorn Investments adviser Shawn Campbell, who personally holds Tesla shares. 'We've had so much bad news — almost any good news is going to help at this point.' While Tesla has leaned on offers such as low-cost financing to boost demand, it is yet to roll out long-promised cheaper models in a market where snazzy and feature-packed EVs from its Chinese rivals have been winning over buyers. Tesla had said it would start producing a cheaper vehicle — expected to be a pared-down Model Y — by the end of June, but Reuters reported in April it was delayed by at least a few months. An escalating feud between Musk and US President Donald Trump over the tax bill has also worried investors as it could potentially alienate more buyers after Musk's embrace of right-wing politics eroded demand in Europe and the US and increase regulatory scrutiny of the robotaxis that are central to its nearly trillion-dollar valuation.
