Oil Field Accidents

The oil industry is a dangerous industry by nature. Although the media coverage of this industry is often focused on these “disasters,” they often do not direct attention to one of the primary causes of worker deaths and injuries: transportation. The leading cause of workers’ deaths in North Dakota is transportation. Many of the motor…

Sometimes you just need a fresh start in a new career but that can sometimes be a tough accomplishment when you have a very specific set of skills. It can limit your employment opportunities unless you have a way to translate those skills into another field, or you’re able to participate in a training program…

When the top industry in a state begins to feel the effects of an economy crippled by a pandemic, the ripple effect can be felt far and wide. If you live in North Dakota, you know the importance that the oil industry has across the state. It doesn’t just mean jobs for oil field workers;…

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has encountered a problem similar to one North Dakota has been experiencing; orphaned gas and oil wells. More than 15 miles of oil fields in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest in Elk County have ceased operations. The company that owns the property, ARG Resources, shut operations down in 2019 without much fanfare.…

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 oil and gas in the shale can then flow up…

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 there. Going into this line of work has to come…

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 irreversible and catastrophic damage. “Orphaned” oil wells – ones that…

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 all other industries combined. According to data from the US…

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 leaks, where produced water wound up leaking from the pipes.…

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 oil fields, was parked on a track siding in Nantes,…