An oilfield accident is a sudden, harmful event that happens during oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, servicing, or transport. The term covers everything from a rig-floor blowout to a tank-battery fire to a crash involving a water-hauling truck on a lease road.
This section covers injuries in onshore oil and gas work: the hazards of rig and well-site jobs, the common causes of drilling accidents, and the burns, crush injuries and exposure cases that follow. The disasters pages recount the major rig disasters and what each taught the industry. Offshore rigs have their own section.
disasters8 pages
The major rig disasters, what caused each one, and what the industry changed afterward.
Enchova Central Platform Disaster of 1984: Causes and Consequences
On August 16, 1984, a well blowout on the Enchova Central Platform in Brazil's Campos Basin ignited a high-pressure gas leak, causing a fire and explosion that killed 42 workers. Thirty-six of the deaths occurred when a lifeboat malfunctioned during launch and fell into the ocean. Investigators cited blowout preventer failure, equipment malfunctions, and inadequate emergency procedures. Production stopped for months.The Legacy of the Mumbai High North Disaster of 2005
On July 27, 2005, a support vessel collided with the gas export riser of the Mumbai High North platform off the coast of India, igniting a fire that destroyed the structure and killed 22 workers. The ONGC-operated platform lacked vessel-approach protocols, riser fire protection, and adequate emergency shutdown valves. The disaster halted production for an extended period and prompted improvements in vessel positioning, gas detection, and evacuation standards.Usumacinta Jack-Up Disaster of 2007: Causes, and Impact
On October 23, 2007, a cold front with winds up to 130 km/h and 8-meter waves caused the Usumacinta jack-up rig to collide with the Kab-101 platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The collision damaged a production valve, triggering a gas leak and fire. During the evacuation, several life rafts capsized in rough seas, and 22 of the 86 crew members died.What Happened at the Alexander L Kielland Drilling Platform in 1980?
The Alexander L. Kielland, a semi-submersible platform used as offshore living quarters in the North Sea's Ekofisk field, capsized on March 27, 1980, killing 123 of the 212 people aboard. A fatigue crack traced to an inadequate weld repair caused a bracing to fail; five anchor cables snapped and the rig overturned. The disaster led Norway to mandate new stability, watertight-door, and lifeboat-release standards.What Happened at the Bohai 2 Oil Rig Disaster in 1979?
The Bohai 2 jack-up rig capsized in China's Bohai Bay on November 25, 1979, during a severe storm. Heavy waves dislodged a ventilator pump that punctured a one-meter hole in the deck, and the resulting flooding destabilized the platform until it sank. Seventy-two crew members died. Investigators cited unsecured deck equipment, ignored towing procedures, inadequate emergency training, and unreliable life-saving equipment.What happened at the Deepwater Horizon?
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded while completing the Macondo well 41 miles off the Louisiana coast, killing 11 workers and injuring 17. Failed foam cement, misread pressure tests, and inoperative emergency systems allowed high-pressure gas to reach the rig. Oil flowed for 87 days, releasing 134 million gallons into the Gulf of Mexico. Settlements included a $20.8 billion environmental damage agreement approved in 2016.What Happened at the Ocean Ranger Oil Rig Disaster in 1982?
The Ocean Ranger semi-submersible rig sank off Canada's east coast in February 1982 after a winter storm wave shattered a porthole in the ballast control room. Seawater disabled the ballast controls, the rig listed, and it sank with all 84 crew members; no one survived. Investigators cited design flaws, inadequate crew training, and insufficient safety equipment. Wrongful death lawsuits settled for approximately $20 million.What Happened at the Piper Alpha Oil Platform in 1988?
The Piper Alpha platform, located about 120 miles northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, was destroyed by gas explosions and fires on July 6, 1988. Condensate leaked from a pump whose pressure relief valve had been removed for maintenance, ignited, and triggered chain-reaction pipeline ruptures. Of 226 people aboard, 165 died, along with two rescuers. Occidental later paid over $220 million in settlements.
injuries2 pages
Burns and the other injuries that follow an oilfield accident, and how they are compensated.
Oilfield Accidents & Injuries: Causes, Statistics, and Legal Rights
An oilfield accident is any injury-causing event that happens during oil and gas exploration, drilling, completion, production, servicing, or transport at a well site or related facility. These accidents involve high-pressure systems, heavy machinery, flammable hydrocarbons, and toxic gases, which is why they tend to produce serious harm rather than minor scrapes.Pursuing Compensation for Burns Following an Oilfield Accident
Anyone who works in the oil and gas industry knows that accidents happen when you least expect them to, commonly resulting in injuries to workers. In the best possible scenario, an oilfield worker who sustains an injury on the job would receive the compensation necessary through workers’ compensation to cover their medical expenses and lost […]
general17 pages
5 Major Hazards in Oilfield Jobs You Should Know
Oil and gas work carries serious risks, with the CDC reporting offshore workers are seven times more likely to be killed on the job than the average U.S. worker. This page outlines key hazards oilfield workers face, including transportation accidents (which OSHA links to about 40% of industry deaths), worker fatigue, and exposure to toxic chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide and diesel exhaust.Crude Oil: Formation, Uses, and Impact on the Environment
Crude oil is a petroleum substance of hydrocarbons and other organic compounds that formed over millions of years as dead marine organisms were buried under sediment and transformed by heat and pressure. After refining, it supplies gasoline, diesel, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. While crude oil underpins transportation and manufacturing economies, its extraction and use carry significant environmental impacts that drive debate over sustainable energy.Deadly Dangers on Oil Field Sites
Oilfield accident attorneys at Trey Morris Injury Lawyers -- the deadly machinery, toxic-gas, and slush-pit hazards that injure workers, visitors, and children on active and abandoned drilling sites.Drilling Rig Disasters: Common Causes
Workplace injuries happen anywhere, regardless of the nature of the profession or the type of job that is performed. However, you probably don’t have to work on a drilling rig to know that these monstrous structures are historically prone to disasters that don’t just impact _one_ _person_, but…How Common Are Oil Field Explosions?
Oil field explosions, whether onshore or offshore, are terrible accidents. Once the explosion happens, it is almost impossible to control the reaction. There’s also a high likelihood of fatality or catastrophic damage.How Common Are Oil Rig Evacuations or Serious Accidents?
Like plane crashes, serious oil rig accidents and evacuations make the headlines because they have far-reaching consequences and do not happen often. Incidents, such as fire outbreaks, explosions, exposure to harmful substances, and even natural disasters like hurricanes and storms, may create the need to evacuate oil rig workers.Mental Health Disorders Among Oil and Gas Workers
Oil and gas workers often suffer mental health disorders from their jobs. Employees may be owed significant compensation to help treat these conditions.Natural Gas Exposure: Health Risks and Legal Options
Explore the health risks and symptoms of natural gas exposure. Find out the legal options for workers who suffered from gas-related health issues.Ocean Oil Rigs: Risks, Operations, and Legal Rights for Workers
The United States has 38 offshore oil rigs in operation, most in the Gulf of Mexico. Workers on ocean rigs face transportation accidents, exposure to harmful substances, fires and explosions, extreme weather, and long rescue distances. Injured offshore workers may have claims under the Jones Act, which lets qualifying seamen sue their employers, or the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act for non-seamen maritime workers.Oil Rig Occupations: Roles, Responsibilities, and Legal Protections
Oil rig crews include roustabouts, roughnecks, drillers, derrickmen, motormen, welders, electricians, divers, mechanics, drilling consultants, rig managers, and health, safety, and environment managers. Entry-level roles handle maintenance and manual labor, while drillers and managers control operations and bear responsibility for crew safety. Each position carries distinct injury risks, and supervisors' decisions about procedures and safety measures can establish legal accountability when workers are hurt.Oilfield Accidents and Disasters
Oilfield accidents and disasters are harmful events that occur during the exploration, drilling, completion, production, and transport of oil and gas. The term covers everything from a single worker injured by a falling tool to a catastrophic blowout that kills a crew and burns a rig to the waterline.Oilfield Accidents Workers Comp
Most oilfield injuries are covered by workers' compensation, and the system is built so that an injured worker does not have to prove the company did anything wrong. In Louisiana, an employee hurt in an accident arising out of and in the course of employment is owed benefits without proof of anyone's fault, under La.Risks of Allowing Fracking on Your Property
Hydraulic fracturing on your land carries documented risks to air, water, soil, and health, including respiratory problems, pregnancy complications, and sleep disruption from noise. It also brings accident hazards like explosions, well-service injuries, oil-truck crashes, and chemical exposure that can leave operators and nearby residents seriously hurt.What Are the Dangers of an Onshore Rig?
There are many hazards employees face working on an onshore rig. Learn about these common dangers and their causes.What Makes Oilfield Jobs Dangerous?
There are many hazards of oilfield jobs that make them so dangerous. Learn about the risks and injuries workers face.What Personal Protective Equipment Is Used in the Oil & Gas Industry?
Oil and gas industry employers should provide personal protective equipment to protect workers. When they don’t, serious injuries can occur.Why do Pipelines Explode?
Pipeline explosions stem from aging infrastructure, excavation strikes, equipment failure, and ground movement, causing severe burns, toxic exposure, and property loss.