Accidents and Injuries in Marcellus Shale Drilling

Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale is physically demanding and dangerous work. Accidents inevitably happen that result in serious workplace injuries and death.

The goldrush-like expansion of the Marcellus Shale gas exploration industry in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Maryland increases the likelihood of serious accidents and injuries. Proper safety regulations have yet to be developed for the mushrooming industry and enforcement of existing regulations is spotty.

A well blowout at a Marcellus Shale well in Clearfield County on June 3 spewed natural gas and industrial fluid 75 feet into the air and could have resulted in catastrophic loss of life or serious environmental damage. The blowout occurred within days of another explosion at a Marcellus Shale gas well in West Virginia that injured seven workers.

If you are a worker who has been seriously injured in a Marcellus Shale well drilling accident, negligence on the part of your employer or a lack of workplace safeguards may have caused or contributed to your injury. If you are a property owner whose property was damaged or contaminated by well drilling, you may have a claim against a drilling rig operator or gas exploration company for damages.

At Munley, Munley & Cartwright, our goal is to stand up for the legal rights of our clients and provide them with exceptional legal representation. We have a breadth of experience in representing victims of workplace injuries and explosions, which gives us an advantage when we go to court. We also have a distinguished record of protecting the rights of individuals and businesses from harm. For a free consultation regarding your legal concerns, contact us online or call us toll free at 877-421-9173.

Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling Accidents

The well blowout in Clearfield County—about 90 miles northeast of Pittsburgh—occurred after a crew finished a process called hydraulic fracturing, in which millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are forced underground to break up rock and release entrapped gas. They were clearing debris out of the well when gas rushed out of it but did not ignite. Drill rig workers may suffer serious injuries similar to workers at any construction site working around heavy equipment. A drill rig worker in the Towanda Township fell to his death in March after a handrail he was working on collapsed and he fell 20 feet.

Burn injuries caused by explosions and fires commonly occur in well drilling accidents. Seven drill rig workers suffered burns over 10 percent to 30 percent of their bodies when a drilling rig exploded near Moundsville, West Virginia after it hit a pocket of methane gas in an abandoned coal mine. The explosion sent flames 50 feet into the air. Some of the workers suffered third-degree burns. The intense heat of the fire melted part of the 115-foot tall rig, causing it to collapse. Union Drilling Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas was sinking the well for Chief Oil and Gas of Dallas, Texas. The cause of the Moundsville explosion remains under investigation, but Union Drilling had previously been cited for workplace safety and health violations at a Pennsylvania worksite. Lack of proper safeguards on the part of an employer often contributes to injuries.

When exploring underground, drill operators may encounter unexpected natural gas flows when drilling in areas where there is no previous knowledge of gas pressures. Natural gas flows can create excessive well head pressures, resulting in blowouts. Blow-out prevention equipment is required for drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation, but as the catastrophic blowout involving the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico shows, blowout preventers can malfunction.

Natural gas pipelines that are pressurized also can explode. Two natural gas pipelines exploded in Texas in June. Two people were killed and three injured when a bulldozer struck a pipeline near where five men were moving clay from a pit in the Texas panhandle. One worker was killed in another incident when utility workers struck a natural gas pipeline.

If you were injured in a fire or explosion related to the drilling of a Marcellus Shale well in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia or Maryland, it’s probable that there were violations of workplace safety standards that caused or contributed to your injuries. You need to talk to a lawyer experienced in handling cases of gas drilling accidents and fires.

At Munley, Munley & Cartwright, our goal is to provide exceptional legal service to our clients, and stand up for their legal rights. The results show in the compensation we obtain for our clients. Individuals who have been seriously injured in workplace fires or explosions should contact our office to learn your legal rights and options.

We strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights through teamwork and the use of our considerable resources and experience. For a free consultation regarding your legal concerns, contact us online or call us toll free at 877-421-9173.