Oil and gas projects have a serious impact on our communities and wildlands. People who work on oil field rigs are faced with dangerous conditions, such as the possibility of explosions that can be catastrophic. Such incidents can also have serious impacts on the environment. Read on to find out the main consequences likely to be faced by an oil company when its rig explodes.
Pollution
Gas and oil production facilities significantly contribute to pollution of the environment. Many people who live close to these sites are often exposed to a variety of pollutants daily. If an oil rig explodes, the situation is worsened since toxic substances are often released into the air. Air pollution caused by fossil fuels is largely regarded as an invisible killer since it leads to cardiovascular, respiratory, and other diseases that can lead to loss of life. Additionally, an oil rig explosion can also lead to leakages of toxic substances into water sources and the soil. The pollutants can affect our health, and they also impact wildlife.
Lawsuits
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict laws concerning the operation of oil rigs. Companies that fail to uphold these regulations are often held liable for anything that happens and face stiff penalties that can impact their operations. Most companies often face lawsuits exceeding billions of dollars following the explosion of an oil rig.
In the workplace, health and safety violations also come with consequences since the company is liable for compensating all the people injured in an oil rig explosion. If you or your loved one is injured in this kind of accident, you are entitled to get workers’ compensation. However, getting the settlement you deserve can be challenging if you are a victim. If you live in Texas, you need to enlist the services of a professional attorney who can handle such cases. The benefit of hiring a Texas oil rig explosion lawyer is that they have experience in dealing with similar issues. With sound legal representation, you learn many things about the options available and the remedies you can get depending on your injuries. Experienced lawyers can investigate the case and help you file a claim to recover a settlement for damages.
Loss of Life
When an oil rig explosion occurs, both wildlife and human life will be lost. Loss of human life is something not very easy to comprehend, and this can cause serious consequences to the company involved. Infrastructure meant for oil processing can also leave a trail of impacts on the wildlands which can disrupt the ecosystem. Big chunks of the nearby wildernesses are usually destroyed if there is an oil rig explosion in a specific area.
Another danger posed by an explosion of an oil rig on land surface is that it causes permanent damage to the land. Vegetation may not grow for good in the area that has been severely affected by the fire. As a result, large swathes of vegetation are destroyed, and it can take centuries for the affected areas to recover. Human intervention will be required to address such scenarios. This can be a costly exercise to restore the damaged environment since it will require a lot of things.
Disrupts Wildlife Habitat
Oil processing facilities are a menace to wildlife since they cause numerous disturbances. Fires caused by oil rig explosions can impact animals’ communication, nesting, and breeding styles. In most cases, the damage caused by this kind of fire is irreversible, and it can permanently destroy the habitat of wild animals. Some animals migrate to other regions during different seasons to escape the snow. However, the trek may no longer be possible if there is an incident of fire that destroys the forests where they should get food.
Furthermore, oil rig explosions can be deadly to animals. Rig oil explosions lead to spills of oils and other chemicals, which can cause long-term impacts to the marine ecosystem. Millions of sea creatures are killed as a result of these spills. In some instances, toxic substances can lead to the extinction of certain species found in the sea. This will lead to a disruption of the ecosystem, which will not be good for the environment in the long run.Â
Oil rig explosions can cause untold suffering to human beings and wildlife. If such an incident happens, the environment will also experience different forms of pollution that can impact our health in different ways. The companies involved are also liable for the damages caused, and they usually pay huge sums of money in lawsuits.
