Dangerous Blowouts Causing Severe Injury in Texas Oilfields

Oilfield workers are well aware that their jobs are among the most dangerous in America. Between 2008 and 2017, more than 1,500 oil and gas workers were killed on the job. Countless more were injured on the job, and there’s no doubt that a significant number of these injuries occurred in Texas. The attorneys at the law firm of Carabin Shaw have many years of experience serving workers in the oil and gas industries. We’re committed to providing excellent legal representation for residents of Monahans that have been harmed by the negligent actions of their employers. If oilfield work injured you, you should consider speaking with a lawyer without delay. A Monahans oilfield accident lawyer will help you explore your legal options.

Dangerous blowouts causing severe injury in Texas oilfields occur when oil or natural gas spews out of a drilling well in an uncontrolled manner. Blowouts were common in the early days of oil exploration. However, modern drilling technologies help workers contain well pressures, which prevents petroleum from escaping the well and entering the environment.

A blowout caused the infamous Deepwater Horizon oil spill that killed 11 workers in the Gulf of Mexico in 2011. The deadliest blowout since that event occurred in Oklahoma in 2018, in an incident that the U.S. Chemical Safety Board called “completely preventable.” If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in a blowout, our Monahans, Texas accident lawyers are ready to help you pursue rightful compensation.

A Blowout Prevention System (BOP) is used as an extra layer of protection when drilling in high-pressure areas. The BOP consists of several valves installed at the top of the well that allows workers to control pressure or close a well off completely. BOPs are critical to the safety of drilling operations, and they are required to be inspected and maintained frequently.

Experienced Monahans oilfield accident lawyers have seen accident investigations that show BOPs can fail at critical times. The question our lawyers will investigate is: was every proper precaution taken along the way to safeguard against equipment failure? If not, then negligence may have played a significant part in causing the blowout. A Carabin Shaw oilfield injury attorney in Monahans routinely works with expert witnesses and investigators to gather all the information about an accident and the parties potentially responsible.

The Monahans, Texas accident lawyers on our staff are deeply troubled by the findings of a federal review of a blowout that killed five men. This review was highly critical of the energy sector, as well as state and federal authorities for “lack of regulations” and “shortcomings in safety management systems and industry standards.” If these dangerous shortcomings are occurring industry-wide, then it’s reasonable to believe that a tragic blowout like this could happen anywhere.

The five men died of burns and smoke inhalation when the blowout ignited into a rig fire. It would be a tragedy to see a repeat of this type of incident in Monahans, or anywhere else in America. A Carabin Shaw work injury attorney in Monahans will do his or her part to help protect the safety of oilfield workers by holding companies accountable for negligent practices.

The attorneys at Carabin Shaw want to see that oilfield workers are afforded every proper safety precaution. If you’ve been injured on the job by a blowout, don’t hesitate to call us for a free phone consultation. One of our Monahans oilfield accident lawyers will be glad to review the details of your claim.

For a free consultation, dial 432-620-0544 or get in touch with us toll-free at 1-800-862-1260.