Working in the oilfield industry is dangerous. Whether the job is on land or offshore, oilfield work is one of the most hazardous types of work in any industry.
Both onshore and offshore drilling have the same goal: to remove oil and gas from beneath the ground. But where the drilling takes place makes a big difference. The location affects the work setting, the size of the operation, how far workers are from help, and the types of risks and injuries they may face.
Call Parks Law to discuss your case with a trusted Houston oil rig accident lawyer.
Onshore Drilling vs. Offshore Drilling
Even at the very beginning, when companies are searching for oil and gas and deciding where to drill, there are risks.
The main difference between onshore and offshore drilling is the location. Onshore drilling looks for oil and gas under the ground on land. Offshore drilling looks for oil and gas under the ocean floor.
Risks of Onshore Injuries vs. Offshore Injuries
Mixing a large body of water into the extraction process doesn’t inherently make offshore oil drilling and more dangerous than drilling on land. However, it does change the type of risks workers face.
Work/Life Balance
One big difference between offshore and onshore drilling is the work schedule. In both settings, workers often put in long shifts over several days, which can lead to serious fatigue.
Offshore workers may have long flights to and from the rig, along with travel time between the airport and their homes. Onshore workers may face long drives to and from remote job sites. In both cases, being very tired can reduce alertness and make it harder to make safe decisions.
Distances Involved
Offshore rigs can be located just a short distance from shore or hundreds of miles out at sea. The farther they are from land, the longer it takes to travel to and from the site, and the harder it can be to get help quickly.
Bad weather can make things even more difficult. Storms, rough seas, and strong winds can delay travel and create additional safety risks.
Offshore platforms and rigs are often far from shore. They are also placed in water that can be as shallow as 10 feet or as deep as thousands of feet. sometimes close to 10,000 feet deep.
Because space is limited, supplies are usually brought in by ship on a regular basis, and waste is taken away the same way. If there is an emergency or a major storm, evacuating workers from an offshore site takes much more planning, equipment, and coordination than it does for an onshore site.
Investment and Organization
Because offshore drilling takes place far from shore, in deep water, and at great drilling depths, it is usually a very large and complex project. It requires huge amounts of money and involves serious risks. Most of the time, only large corporations can afford to handle this kind of work, especially as oil and gas become harder to find and remove.
Building, transporting, and putting together rigs and platforms at sea is a massive task. These projects are often highly visible and closely watched by the public.
Onshore drilling can look very different from one site to another. Some projects use a small mobile rig that can be moved on a truck trailer. Others are much more complex, with horizontal wells that stretch for miles under different pieces of land and use advanced technology to remove oil and gas.
Whether the operation is run by a small independent driller or a large corporation, the work is done on land, which makes access and transportation much easier than offshore sites.
Whether the work is on land or offshore, large companies are investing money to make a profit. Many parts of the job are hired out to different contractors and subcontractors.
This can make things complicated. It is not always clear who is responsible for keeping workers safe, both on and off the job, and who must properly maintain the rigs, platforms, and equipment.
- Transportation accidents: Traveling to and from the job site can be one of the most dangerous parts of working onshore or offshore.
- Inclement weather: Rain, strong winds, and lightning can create problems at both offshore and onshore drilling sites. Offshore, the weather can change quickly and be hard to predict. Workers on rigs and platforms must deal not only with the weather, but also with how it affects the ocean. Storms can create large, powerful waves. These waves can hit with extreme force, putting heavy pressure on the rig and equipment. Everything exposed to these conditions must be strong enough to handle that force.
Onshore and Offshore Injuries in Houston
Working in oil drilling and extraction is tough and dangerous. OSHA tracks injuries in this industry and points out the most common and serious hazards workers face.
- Vehicle crashes are a major danger in this industry. About 4 out of every 10 workers who die on the job in oil and gas work are killed in highway vehicle accidents.
- Being hit by equipment, caught in machinery, or crushed between objects is a serious risk. In fact, about 3 out of every 5 deaths at oil and gas work sites happen because a worker was struck, caught, or trapped between equipment or materials.
- Explosions and fires are a major danger in oil and gas work. In fact, this industry has more deaths from fires and explosions than any other private industry.
- Falls are a common cause of injury in the oil and gas industry. About 23% of worker injuries and 36% of worker deaths happen because of slips, trips, and falls.
- Working in small, enclosed spaces can be very dangerous, especially in the oil industry. Workers have died in these spaces from lack of oxygen, breathing in toxic gases, being buried or trapped, drowning, explosions, and electrocution.
- Ergonomic hazards are common in oil and gas work. Workers are often required to bend over again and again, lift heavy objects, push or pull heavy loads, reach overhead, repeat the same movements many times, and work in uncomfortable or awkward positions. Over time, these tasks can cause serious strain and injury.
The dangers do not stop there. Workers may also be exposed to harmful chemicals or toxic gases. They may work around high-pressure lines, equipment that can blow out, electricity, and heavy machinery.
On top of these risks, fatigue and lack of experience can also increase the chance of serious accidents.
Talk to a Houston Oil Rig Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt in an onshore or offshore accident, or if you lost a loved one in one, contact the Houston oil rig accident lawyers at Parks Law. You may have the right to seek compensation.
This can include money for lost wages, reduced earning ability, medical bills, daily living costs, future treatment, rehabilitation, and other related expenses.
You can contact us online or call (713) 979-3500 to set up a free consultation. Oil and gas work is known to be very dangerous. If you have been hurt, we are ready to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.