When an offshore oil rig is in the process of drilling, catastrophic injuries can occur if the pressure on the oil rig machinery is not adequately monitored. Pressure changes could ultimately lead to the rapid release of combustible hydrocarbons, and this flow could ignite and cause a massive blowout. Blowouts are amongst the most tragic and expensive accidents that can occur in the “upstream petroleum industry.” These incidents can endanger the lives of workers, and they can pose significant threats to the environment.

What is an Oil Rig Blowout?

A blowout refers to the uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from an oil well or gas well after pressurized control systems fail. All modern oil and natural gas wells have blowout preventers that are intended to keep these incidents from occurring. Unfortunately, there are times when these blowout preventers fail.

Accidental sparks during a blowout can lead to catastrophic oil or natural gas fires that lead to significant injuries, property damage, and environmental degradation. There have been several oil rig blowouts throughout history, both on- and offshore. The most recent infamous oil blowout was the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010.

Oil rig blowouts can occur at any point, including the following:

• During drilling
• When the well is completed
• During well testing
• During the production of oil or natural gas

Blowouts can occur at the surface of an oil rig and lead to significant injuries for the oil rig crew. Blowouts can also occur below the sea or underground. As was the case with the Deepwater Horizon incident, the blowout led to an explosion on the oil rig as well as an uncontrolled release of oil below the sea.

What You Need to do After an Oil Rig Blowout Injury

If you or somebody you care about has been injured as a result of an oil rig blowout, or if you have lost a loved one as a result of an oil rig blowout, you need to speak to a skilled attorney as soon as possible. An attorney who specializes in oil rig blowout will have a thorough understanding of all laws that apply to these cases, including work injury laws, maritime injury laws, and personal injury laws.

If you have been injured in an oil rig blowout, your number one priority is to ensure that you receive continued medical care. You need to properly document all injuries that occur as a result of the blowout. Failing to do so could result in any injury claim being denied by insurers or an employer.

Oil rig blowouts often occur due to the careless or negligent actions of oil companies. However, proving this negligence can be incredibly challenging. An attorney will need to use their resources to conduct a complete investigation into the oil rig blowout in order to determine exactly what happened. Even though establishing liability will be challenging, it must be done in order to help victims recover a total compensation for their losses.

A major problem with oil rig blood incidents is that oil companies in their insurance carriers often push for settlements that do not adequately compensate those who have sustained injuries or property damage. A Houston oil rig explosion attorney will get involved and help make sure that injury victims recover the compensation they are entitled to.

Contact The Doan Law Firm for a free consultation.