oklahoma oil field accidents
Drilling Rig Explodes Near Watonga
An explosion of a gas drilling rig illuminated the sky close to Watonga, OK, this past week. Town officials ordered the evacuation of nearby homes and said the flames may burn for a number of days, according to The Enid News and Eagle and Associated Press. Reports stated that no one was injured or killed, however, the incident occurs at a time when increased federal and local authorities are focusing on drilling safety.
Unfortunately, Oklahoma has seen its share of oil field eruptions and fires. The unpredictable nature of the substances involved can cause large fires without warning. Corporations may take shortcuts to meet deadlines and turn larger profits while workers may be directed to use antiquated equipment to minimize cost. Luckily, the damages in this recent accident have been confined and relatively minimal, but that’s not always the case. Destruction can occur to properties nearby the event, and severe injuries or fatalities can be suffered by individuals in the region of the explosion.
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What Happens After an Oklahoma Oil Field Explosion?
Oil field explosions in Oklahoma, sadly, are not unheard of. Big oil companies run large oil fields and oftentimes the safety of their employees isn’t their first priority. Naturally, oil fields produce very volatile chemicals in liquid, solid, and gas form, which can cause huge explosions if ignited. The result of any Oklahoma oil field explosion may be extensive damage to the field itself, any property within range of the explosion, and catastrophic injury or death to anyone in the area when the explosion occurs.
Because oil companies may cut corners in order to boost productivity, it is not uncommon for employees to be forced to use outdated equipment or for the oil company to ignore equipment that may need to be replaced, refuse or fail to install new machinery, or require workers to cut corners to make deadlines. When this type of negligence occurs and an Oklahoma oil field explosion results, the oil company can be held legally responsible for all subsequent injury, wrongful deaths, and property damage.
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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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