According to a report from WWL-TV, an unidentified worker was killed in an accident on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the Coast Central Louisiana. It brings the total number of offshore oil and gas industry fatalities in the region to at least four in the 15 months. Here, our Texas maritime law attorney explains what we know so far and discusses the continued problem of oil platform safety.
A Contractor Was Killed While Working With Houston’s Fieldwood Energy
Fieldwood Energy is an oil and gas industry company with headquarters in Houston, Texas. It is one of the larger exploration and production firms with operations centered in the Gulf of Mexico. On May 15th, 2021, Fieldwood Energy published an official news release confirming that a serious safety incident occurred in relation to his operations. The information provided by Houston-based oil & gas exploration company confirms the following key details:
- A fatal incident occurred at Eugene Island 158, a small offshore oil platform;
- The worker killed in the incident was a contractor employed by an unnamed company;
- The incident happened during a non-emergency casing pressure test;
- No other workers were hurt in relation to the safety issue; and
- The matter was referred to regulators and is under investigation.
Few other details have been made available to the public at this time. It is another unfortunate workplace safety issue in the offshore oil and gas industry. All companies engaged in offshore energy development and maritime operations must ensure that proper precautions are taken to protect the health and well-being of employees.
Offshore Oil and Gas Remains a Relatively Dangerous Industry
Everyone deserves safe and fair conditions on the job. While some industries are more inherently dangerous than others, workplace safety must be a priority for all businesses and organizations. Sadly, offshore oil and gas exploration sees more than its proportional share of catastrophic workplace accidents. The most recent comprehensive data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) comes from 2017. During that year:
- 69 workers were killed in the offshore oil and gas extraction.
For reference, the workplace fatality rate for the industry is far in excess of the national average. As American offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction is centered around the Gulf of Mexico, workers from our area bear the brunt of the impact. 44 of the workers killed (63%) were from Texas. Another six workers killed were from Oklahoma and four were from Louisiana.
Speak to a Maritime Law Injury Attorney in Southeast Texas
At the Kolodny Law Firm, our Texas maritime injury lawyers know how to hold negligent companies and large insurance carriers accountable. If you or someone you know was hurt while working aboard an offshore oil platform, we are more than ready to help. Call us now or send us a message online for a free review of your case. From our office in Houston, we represent offshore workers in Southeast Texas and throughout the surrounding area.
Alan Kolodny is committed to representing injured clients in Texas and throughout the United States. Alan earned his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University.
He focuses his practice on representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases involving the following matters: maritime and offshore accidents, including those under the Jones Act; automobile and 18-wheeler truck accidents; and industrial site accidents, work-related accidents, and claims for injured railroad workers under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act.
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