OSHA Fines Oil Company $454K in North Dakota Explosion

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that an oil company’s failure to take adequate safety precautions contributed to a drilling site explosion near Grassy Butte, North Dakota on Nov. 4, 2021, that permanently disabled one worker and left two others with serious injuries.

an OSHA investigation found KLX Energy Services – operating as KLX Wireline LLC – carelessly transported explosive materials and failed to take required precautions to protect workers and the public during blasting operations. The workers suffered shrapnel injuries when a perforating gun detonated as workers assembled a blasting cap on it to send down a well near Grassy Butte. The workers were using perforating guns to fracture the well bore.

OSHA cited KLX Wireline for failing to equip vehicles transporting explosives with at least two fire extinguishers located near the driver’s seat, ensure safe and consistent disposal or reuse of empty containers and paper fiber packing materials used to wrap explosive materials, and ensure the vehicles were always attended. OSHA inspectors also noted the vehicles lacked safety placards indicating the presence of explosive materials.

OSHA issued six willful, three serious and two other-than-serious safety violations to KLX Wireline and proposed penalties of $453,982. The agency issued one serious safety citation and proposed penalties of $14,502 to Brigade Energy for exposing workers to hazards during the handling of explosives during perforating operations.

KLX employed the worker who suffered disabling injuries. Brigade Energy of Greenwood Village, Colorado, employed the other two workers.

KLX Wireline is a subsidiary of KLX Energy Services, a Houston-based onshore provider of oil-field services that operates more than 35 service facilities located in major shale basins.

Topics Workers' Compensation Energy Oil Gas