Oil Field Accidents
Hydrogen Sulfide: The Invisible Killer in Oilfields
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a highly toxic gas – both invisible and flammable – that naturally occurs at crude petroleum and natural gas fields. The dangerous effects of HS2 poisoning can be felt within as little as a single breath, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The sense of smell is not the most dependable barometer when it comes to detecting hydrogen sulfide. Although at low concentrations hydrogen sulfide is detectable by its rotten egg-like odor, the toxic gas dulls the sense of smell at higher concentrations, making it subtle yet deadly – a dangerous combination.
Symptoms of minor exposure include fatigue, eye irritation, dizziness and headaches, coughing and nasal pain. In cases of more severe exposure, the aforementioned symptoms are intensified and may lead to unconsciousness, suffocation and death, depending on the duration, intensity and frequency of exposure in addition to the victim’s susceptibility to the gas.
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Keystone Alberta to Texas Pipeline Project under Scrutiny after Oil Accidents
Ever since the British Petroleum (BP) Gulf oil spill and the rising of gas prices, the oil industry has been under public and government scrutiny, according to Reuters. This does not bode well for the still-unapproved TransCanada Keystone XL tar sands pipeline project that would transport oil from Canada to Texas, crossing through Oklahoma and five other U.S. states along the way. Multiple oil accidents, in Alberta and along the Keystone pipeline system, have raised questions on the pipeline’s safety, its environmental impact, and whether or not it is ultimately in the nation’s best interests.
The most recent TransCanada oil accident occurred in southern North Dakota along the first phase of its Keystone pipeline system. A valve broke at a pumping station releasing approximately 500 barrels of Canada heavy crude into the facility, and also caused a geyser of oil that reached above the treetops. This occurred only 10 months after the pipeline began carrying bitumen from the oil sands mines in Alberta to refineries in Illinois. The local landowner notified emergency personnel about the geyser of crude oil but TransCanada had apparently already shut down the line. This marks the 11th reported accident at stations along the Keystone pipeline since May 21, 2010.
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Injured Offshore Oil Worker Awarded $4 Million
On October 8, a federal jury ordered Transocean to pay over $4 million in damages related to injuries occurring in an offshore oil rig accident in 2007, according to BusinessWeek.com.
The jury ruled in favor of a 32-year-old oil field worker who was injured when an offshore oil rig’s hydraulic basket malfunctioned while he was working on it. He was working aboard the Amirante, which was owned by Transocean.
The employee now has permanent brain damage, among several other injuries. He cannot return to work or be left alone. He will need constant care for the remainder of his life. The jury unanimously found Transocean liable and awarded the injured worker $4,091,867.
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