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The legal team of oilfield injury lawyers at Schmidt & Clark, LLP is dedicated to protecting the rights of injured oil rig workers and is one of the only firms with knowledge of maritime law willing to pursue justice in these practice areas in Minnesota and throughout the entire United States.
Table Of Contents
- Is There Oil in Minnesota?
- Where Does Minnesota Get its Oil and Gas?
- What is the Largest Oil Refinery in Minnesota?
- Minnesota Energy Profile
- Fatal Work Injuries in Minnesota
- Worker Death Toll at Minnesota Oil Refineries is Largely Unknown
- FAQs
- Get a Free Lawsuit Evaluation With Our Minnesota Oil Field Accident and Injury Lawyers
Is There Oil in Minnesota?
To date, no sources of petroleum have been found in Minnesota, so the state must import both crude oil and refined oil products for use by its residents. Two crude oil refineries are located in Minnesota, in addition to numerous pipelines that distribute refined petroleum products throughout the state. Additionally, Minnesota is the primary route for the United States’ importation of Canadian crude oil that travels to refineries on the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
Related Article: Oil Field Accident Lawsuit Update
Where Does Minnesota Get its Oil and Gas?
Most of the crude oil transported by rail to Minnesota comes from North Dakota’s Bakken field. Most of the gasoline sold in Minnesota starts as petroleum from the Tar Sands region of Alberta, Canada.
What is the Largest Oil Refinery in Minnesota?
The Pine Bend Refinery is the largest oil refinery in Minnesota, located in the Twin Cities suburbs of Rosemount and Inver Grove Heights. Pipe Bend is notable for being the largest in the nation to be located in a state without any oil wells.
Overall, the refinery ranks 14th in the U.S. in terms of production, with a capacity of 320,000 barrels per day. The Pine Bend Refinery is owned by Flint Hills Resources (FHR), a subsidiary of Koch Industries.
Minnesota Energy Profile
Renewable resources including wind, solar, hydropower, and biomass generate the majority of Minnesota’s electricity. In 2021, renewables accounted for 29% of total in-state electricity net generation, coal-fueled 26%, nuclear power supplied 24%, and natural gas contributed 21%.
Coal-fired power plants provided most of Minnesota’s electricity net generation until 2020 when their contribution was surpassed by renewables and nuclear power for the first time.
Fatal Work Injuries in Minnesota
Fatal work injuries totaled 80 in 2021 for Minnesota, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Transportation accidents caused 33 fatal work injuries, and violence and falls, slips, and trips, accounted for 19 deaths. Together, these 2 categories accounted for 65% of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals were the 3rd-most frequent fatal work event in Minnesota, with 10 fatalities. Exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 9 work-related deaths, compared to 7 a year earlier.
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Worker Death Toll at Minnesota Oil Refineries is Largely Unknown
Minnesota residents might be interested to learn how many worker deaths occur at oil refineries in the state. Although OSHA records all of the injuries and deaths that take place in various industries each year, many people don’t know that a lot of oil workers are not classified under the ‘petroleum refining” category. Therefore, figuring out how many fatalities take place at oil refineries is not always easy.
The ‘Petroleum Refining” category of OSHA’s workplace death and injury records will only reveal a small percentage of the annual deaths that occur at Minnesota oil refineries. Many oil refinery workers are classified in other categories including ‘Heavy Construction”, ‘Fabricated Plate Work” and ‘Special Trade Contractors, Not Elsewhere Classified.”
FAQs
What steps should I take to document my oil field accident injury?
Document your injury by seeking medical treatment, keeping detailed records of all medical visits, taking photographs of the injury and accident scene, and collecting witness statements.
Can I sue my employer for an oil field accident in Minnesota?
While workers’ compensation typically prevents suing your employer directly, exceptions exist for cases involving gross negligence or intentional harm. An attorney can determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit.
What evidence is needed to support an oil field accident injury claim?
Necessary evidence includes medical records, accident reports, safety inspection records, and witness statements. This documentation supports your claim and helps secure compensation.
How does workers’ compensation differ from a personal injury lawsuit?
Workers’ compensation provides benefits regardless of fault but may not cover all damages. A personal injury lawsuit can seek full compensation, including pain and suffering, if negligence is proven.
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Get a Free Lawsuit Evaluation With Our Minnesota Oil Field Accident and Injury Lawyers
The personal injury lawyers at Schmidt & Clark, LLP have experience dealing with the rights of American oilfield workers, and we are one of the only firms willing to handle oilfield workplace accidents in Minnesota and throughout the entire United States.
Again, if you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an oilfield accident in Minnesota, you should contact our oil field accident lawyers immediately by using the form below or calling our law firm toll-free 24 hrs/day by dialing (866) 588-0600 to schedule a free case review and legal options.
Clients may be able to recover fair compensation for medical expenses from an oil company in a lawsuit and a personal injury lawyer can help.
To contact us for a free review of your potential case, please fill out the form below or call us toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing: