Hydraulic fracturing (also known simply as fracking) is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock formations. The process involves pumping a combination of water, sand, and chemicals underground, at incredibly high pressure, so that the rock breaks apart. This creates fractures where the [...]
If you live in North Dakota, you’re overly aware of what the oil industry means for the state’s economy. It’s paramount to keeping cities running and people employed. The oil industry is also known to be one of the most dangerous fields of work out [...]
When you live in a community where a major industry thrives, you just expect that all precautions are taken to ensure the safety of the community. This includes protecting other businesses from any negative effects of the industry. When that doesn’t happen, it can cause [...]
In 2018, a collaboration between the Center for Public Integrity, The Texas Tribune, The Associated Press, and Newsy profiled how catastrophic oil field injuries can be. The death rate among those who work in the drilling industry, in 2014, was almost five times that of [...]
Two pipeline spills that occurred in the middle of July 2019 are still under investigation by the North Dakota State Health Department. The spills leaked oilfield wastewater into a Missouri River tributary and pastureland. Cleanup was still occurring at the two different sites of the [...]
July 6th marks six years since the oil train disaster struck Lac-Mégantic, Quebec killing 47 people and destroying much of the small Canadian village. According to the Desmog blog, a Montreal, Manie & Atlantic (MMA) train, which was full of crude oil from the Bakken [...]
Workers in oilfields are at risk of heat exposure from the sun and from the equipment they use. In the summer, the risks naturally increase. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warns employers about the hazards of working in outdoor and indoor environments where [...]
Over the last several years, the state of North Dakota has seen an acceleration in oil and gas extraction activities. The boom has occurred particularly in the Bakken oil fields area. This thriving industry has also seen a market increase in oil field related accidents [...]
The oil fields of North Dakota are filled with workers of all experience levels. There are some who have just entered the profession looking to make this a career, and others who are “lifers” in the oil industry closing in on retirement. No matter how [...]
There was a longform article in a recent issue of The New Yorker, which profiled the life and work of Rachael Van Horn, a female oilfield pumper in Oklahoma. This article offers a day in the life perspective of the work of a pumper, and [...]
