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Texas Oilfield Worker Injured In Eagle Ford Shale Explosion

For the second time in two weeks, an explosion was reported in the Eagle Ford Shale area of South Texas, and this time one worker was seriously injured in the blast. Authorities say the explosion occurred during a daily inspection of disposal tanks at Kerlick Well #1 off Highway 80 in Karnes County. According to reports, the employee injured in the Texas oilfield accident was airlifted to a San Antonio hospital after suffering burns to 20-30% of his body. If you have sustained serious injuries in an oilfield accident in Corpus Christi, or elsewhere in Texas, contact our knowledgeable attorneys at Bandas Law Firm to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to medical or disability benefits for your on-the-job injuries, which our Texas lawyers can help you pursue.

STATIC ELECTRICITY MAY HAVE SPARKED BLAST

Kerlick Well #1 is a saltwater disposal site, where residual oil is reportedly skimmed from the tanks and the oilfield brine is pumped back into the ground. Unfortunately, during a daily inspection of the tanks early on the morning of October 8, there was an explosion that caused a chain reaction and left considerable damage in its wake, including an injured worker. The blast destroyed nine of the ten tanks at the well site, which is operated by Gulf Coast Acquisitions of Refugio, Texas. Officials believe that the worker generated static electricity as he climbed the catwalk, which may have sparked the explosion that threw him off a ladder that connected the salt water and oil tanks.

OILFIELD EXPLOSIONS COMMON IN EAGLE FORD SHALE

“One of the tanks exploded,” said Karnes County Sheriff Dwayne Villanueva in the aftermath of the oilfield accident. “The good thing is area fire departments got there and as soon as they got there, they had it under control.” The firefighters reportedly saved the worker’s life, pulling the injured man to safety just before the blast leveled the tanks. Unfortunately, oilfield explosions and fires are not uncommon in the Eagle Ford Shale area of Texas. Just last week, an explosion at a working well’s water pipeline in Falls City, Texas injured six men, all of whom suffered second- and third-degree burns in the blast.

CONTACT OUR LAW FIRM TO FILE A CLAIM

According to Villanueva, as many as ten workers have been killed in oilfield accidents in Karnes County, TX this year alone, which sheds light on the inherent dangers of the oilfield industry, especially in South Texas, where the Eagle Ford Shale has prompted an oil boom. If you have sustained major oilfield accident injuries in Texas, or if you lost a loved one in a fatal on-the-job accident, consult our workers’ compensation lawyers at Bandas Law Firm today for legal help. Our law firm is located in Corpus Christi, and our attorneys have years of experience protecting the rights of injured oilfield and oil rig workers throughout the state of Texas.

Source: http://www.kens5.com/news/Eagle-Ford-Shale-disposal-well-explodes-oilfield-accidents-a-growing-problem-for-Karnes-County-226973351.html

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