Exxon Mobil temporarily halted maintenance at an East Texas oil drilling facility after a fatality this week, which was at least the second death this year of a contractor at one of its Texas production sites.
The incident occurred on Sept. 20 near Hawkins, about 110 miles east of Dallas. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, the Harrison County Sheriff's Office said.
The name of the worker, an employee of Axis Energy Services, was not immediately available. The death was ruled accidental, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.
Axis could not immediately be reached for comment.
"Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time," Meghan Macdonald, a spokesperson for XTO and ExxonMobil, said in a statement. She declined to comment further.
This year, Pamela Bleyl, 49, was killed in an incident at an Exxon shale oil production site in West Texas.
An employee of oilfield services provider Liberty Energy Inc., Bleyl was crushed between two pieces of equipment while working in Martin County, according to a negligence lawsuit filed in April in Harris County district court in Houston.
"We are very sorry this incident occurred, and we continue to express our deepest sympathy to Pamela’s family and friends," Macdonald said, adding safety is a priority for the company and "the core value at all of our operations and facilities."
Recommended Reading
Mighty Midland Still Beckons Dealmakers
2024-04-05 - The Midland Basin is the center of U.S. oil drilling activity. But only those with the biggest balance sheets can afford to buy in the basin's core, following a historic consolidation trend.
EIA: Permian, Bakken Associated Gas Growth Pressures NatGas Producers
2024-04-18 - Near-record associated gas volumes from U.S. oil basins continue to put pressure on dry gas producers, which are curtailing output and cutting rigs.
Novo II Reloads, Aims for Delaware Deals After $1.5B Exit Last Year
2024-04-24 - After Novo I sold its Delaware Basin position for $1.5 billion last year, Novo Oil & Gas II is reloading with EnCap backing and aiming for more Delaware deals.
Uinta Basin's XCL Seeks FTC OK to Buy Altamont Energy
2024-03-07 - XCL Resources is seeking approval from the Federal Trade Commission to acquire fellow Utah producer Altamont Energy LLC.
Enverus: 1Q Upstream Deals Hit $51B, but Consolidation is Slowing
2024-04-23 - Oil and gas dealmaking continued at a high clip in the first quarter, especially in the Permian Basin. But a thinning list of potential takeout targets, and an invigorated Federal Trade Commission, are chilling the red-hot M&A market.