Chesapeake Energy and Contractors Faulted in Fatal 2020 Texas Oil Well Fire

A federal safety board investigation has determined that Chesapeake Energy and its contractors neglected necessary well control measures at a Texas oil well, leading to a fatal fire in January 2020. The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB), which probes industrial chemical accidents, revealed in its report that both the well operator and its contractors failed to enforce required safety practices at the Wendland Well.

This incident at the well, operated by Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy, resulted in three deaths, marking it as the first fatal blowout in Texas since April 2013. Investigator-in-charge Harold Griffin from the CSB highlighted a lack of established safety procedures as a significant contributor to the tragedy. According to Griffin, neither Chesapeake Energy nor its contractors adhered to industry-recommended preventive safety measures effectively.

Chesapeake Energy did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters. The CSB’s role is to investigate major industrial accidents and issue recommendations to prevent future incidents. While it lacks regulatory authority, its influence is notable, as its recommendations are often adopted by industry, labor, and U.S. government agencies.