Three oilfield workers suffered severe burns last month when an explosion erupted on a Chord Energy well site in northwest North Dakota.
Sadly, one of those men passed away from his injuries.
Burned Contractors Employed by Blackhawk Energy Services
The September 2nd blast erupted around 8:30 p.m. at the Cvancara 11-14H site near Stanley in Mountrail County, North Dakota. The resulting fire would continue to burn until midnight.
Three men – all contractors with Blackhawk Energy Services – were taken to a burn unit in St. Paul, Minnesota. One of the men succumbed to his injuries on September 15th. The deceased has been identified as a 37-year-old resident of Kansas. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Another worker suffered burns to 80% of his body and was still in critical condition as of September 28th. The third severely burned worker was listed as fair.
“Lack of All Safety Procedures” Reported at Well Site
It’s still not clear what caused the fatal explosion.
According to a sheriff deputy’s report obtained by The Forum, the blast apparently erupted as one crew was walking away from the well and another was arriving.
A surviving worker later blamed “a lack of all safety procedures” for the explosion, claiming that crews were uncomfortable working there due to ” visible fumes all over the site.” The report also noted that the deputy did not observe workers “wearing a visible H2S monitor anywhere on their person.”
The family of one worker also told KFGO News that crews alerted a supervisor of a leak twice before the explosion. However, the supervisor refused to follow proper protocol to address the leak in both instances.
OSHA Investigating Chord Energy Explosion
In addition to conducting its own investigation, Houston, Texas-based Chord Energy said it was cooperating with Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials deployed to the well site.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the impacted Black Hawk (Energy Services) employees and their families,” Chord Energy said in its statement. “Inquiries about the status of the employees should be directed to Black Hawk.”
When asked about the alleged lack of safety procedures, the company responded, “an incident of this nature takes time to investigate to understand what happened.”
A subsidiary of Colorado-Based Steel Energy, Black Hawk Energy Services operates work over and completion rigs, reverse units, and air/foam packages in the Permian Basin, New Mexico, and the Williston Basin of North Dakota.
So far, it does not appear that Black Hawk Energy has made any public comment regarding the fatal explosion or ongoing investigation.
What To Do After a Catastrophic Oilfield Explosion
If you or someone you love was catastrophically burned, severely injured, or tragically killed in an oilfield accident or explosion, it’s important to understand that the well operator, drilling company, and their insurance adjusters have only one goal: to avoid responsibility and pay you as little as possible by liming you to workers’ compensation benefits.
Unfortunately, worker’s compensation is unlikely to make up for all the lost wages incurred as a result of your injuries, nor will it compensate you and your family for lost future income, pain and suffering, and other damages you may be able to receive in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
To ensure you’re fully compensated for all of your injuries and losses, it’s essential that you act quickly to protect your rights.
Most importantly, don’t speak with the company’s insurance adjuster, make a recorded statement, sign anything, or accept any payments (other than your regular paycheck) until you’ve contacted an experienced Oilfield Accident Lawyer with a record of success against the largest oil companies in the country.
Undefeated North Dakota Oilfield Injury Lawyers: Call 1-888-934-1263 or Click Here for a Free Consultation.
Our Undefeated Oilfield Injury Lawyers have won Billions – including the #1 Largest Oilfield Accident Burn Settlement in U.S. History and the #1 Largest Oilfield Accident Settlement in History – against the largest well operators, drilling companies, and oilfield services in the world.
If you lost a loved one were injured in connection with the North Dakota Chord Energy explosion on September 2, 2022, call 1-888-934-1263, use the “chat” button on our homepage, or click here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.
Our Oilfield Accident Attorneys will answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide all the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.
To learn more about our success representing injured oilfield workers and their families, visit our “Results” page or Click Here to see what our clients have said about their experience with our firm.
All consultations are free, and you won’t owe us a dime unless we win your case.