U.S. probing worker's death at Devon-Nabors oil rig in N. Dakota (updated)

Nabors Industries

09/01/2023 22:35

(New throughout, adds OSHA statement)
       Jan 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) said on Monday it is investigating
the death of a Badger Consulting worker last week at an oil rig
in North Dakota owned by Devon Energy  DVN.N  and Nabors
 NBR.N .
    Preliminary information indicates the worker "was likely
walking on top of a mud tank and fell through a hole" where he
was later found deceased late last Thursday, the U.S. Department
of Labor said in a statement. 
    OSHA, a unit of the Labor Department, opened a joint
employer inspection with Devon, Nabors and Badger Consulting on
Friday last week.
    Local media, which first reported the fatal incident on
Friday, said other workers drained the pit and tried to rescue
the deceased but he died at the scene.
    The worker was a consultant contracted through Badger by
Devon, which owns and operates the Nabors Industries'  NBR.N 
oil rig north of New Town in the western North Dakota oil patch,
the statement said. 
    "OSHA has six months to complete its investigation, issue
citations and propose monetary penalties to any of the three
companies if violations of worker safety and health rules are
found during the investigative process," said Rhonda Burke, a
Labor Department deputy director of public affairs.
    Devon Energy resumed operations at the rig on Monday
morning, spokesperson Lisa Adams told Reuters, while Nabors said
that "we are supporting Devon to understand what occurred and
what lessons can be learned from this tragic incident." 
    Devon had earlier "shut down drilling operations while we
work with local law enforcement, OSHA and Nabors," Adams told
media last week. 
 (Reporting by Deep Vakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Josie Kao and
David Gregorio)
 ((DeepKaushik.Vakil@thomsonreuters.com;))