Exxon orders shale stand-down over rash of oilfield employee accidents By Reuters

By Liz Hampton

(Reuters) – Exxon Mobil (NYSE:) issued a brief “stand-down” throughout its U.S. shale operations final week following back-to-back employee accidents, together with one fatality, in accordance with folks aware of the matter.

The incidents, considered one of which marked the second demise this 12 months of a contractor, comes at a turning level for oilfield service corporations straining to rent employees to restart some operations. Job cuts two years in the past associated to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a scarcity of skilled oilfield staff.

The stand-down follows two employee accidents inside days at manufacturing websites run by Exxon’s shale unit and comes as Exxon is dealing with a number of negligence lawsuits.

A employee was injured in West Texas this month and an Axis Vitality Providers workman performing restore work was killed final Tuesday in east Texas. In March, a girl was crushed to demise at one other West Texas website operated by Exxon.

“The security and well being of our workforce is at all times our high precedence. At any time when there’s an incident, we double our efforts to strengthen security,” Exxon mentioned in response to questions concerning the stand-down.

The highest U.S. oil producer additionally mentioned it was actively working with contractors to enhance security.

The stand-down didn’t have an effect on oil manufacturing, Exxon mentioned, however exercise was halted throughout upkeep work at a website following final week’s fatality, Reuters reported final week.

Oil and gasoline executives have pointed to the dearth of expert employees affecting their operations in a Dallas Federal Reserve Financial institution survey launched this week.

“We’re seeing a better proportion of hires who’re new to the trade,” mentioned one government mentioned, lamenting the provision of certified folks.

Exxon or its shale subsidiary XTO Vitality this 12 months have confronted no less than six negligence lawsuits ensuing from accidents in west Texas, in accordance with complaints filed in Harris County District Courtroom in Houston. Every lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $1 million.

The newest lawsuit was filed Aug. 26 by an oilfield employee struck by a drill pipe in Martin County, Texas. That swimsuit adopted one other filed days earlier by an employee injured after getting pinned underneath a 400-pound properly panel in San Augustine County, Texas.

Uriel Tehy was injured whereas engaged on a properly website close to Carlsbad, New Mexico, in accordance with a lawsuit filed in a Texas court docket which mentioned XTO failed to make sure tools on location was in good working situation.

New Mexico fined XTO $2.25 million this 12 months for failing to adjust to necessities protecting 5 underground injection wells. It individually reported 15 fires at its New Mexico operations, in accordance with the state’s oil regulator. Final 12 months, it reported 22 such incidents.