My condolences to the worker’s loved ones and coworkers, and to area families and communities.
Drowning in a pit of frac waste or water hoarded for frac’ing would be a terrible way to die, and is preventable with adequate safety and education measures. Frac’ing is deadly. I’ve walked in some of those pits before they were filled. They’re monstrous and challenging to get out of even when empty.
Frac’ing is evil, frac’ing must be criminalized.
Worker dead in apparent drowning at northern Alberta energy facility, Birchcliff Energy says emergency response crews responded to the scene Tuesday by The Canadian Press, Oct 11, 2023, CBC News with files from Reuters
Some of the frac water hoarding pits south east of Bay Tree, Saddle Hills Co, Alberta. Snap taken Oct 12, 2023
Source, Zoom in and around, SE of Bay Tree: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bay+Tree,+Alberta//@55.7401265,-119.9506086,26391m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x5391737bdc5607e5:0x43c9b4928626d861!2m2!1d-119.9051597!2d55.8248163!1m0?entry=ttu
A contract worker has died in a water storage pit at a Birchcliff Energy facility in northern Alberta, the company said Wednesday.
The Calgary-based oil and gas company says the incident occurred at one of its water storage pits located south of Bay Tree, Alta., located about 600 kilometres from Edmonton.
“We have commenced an investigation into the cause of this tragic accident,” said Birchcliff CEO Jeff Tonken.
Birchcliff says emergency response crews responded to the scene Tuesday evening.
The company says it appears the contractor may have drowned, though it adds the incident is still being investigated.
Birchcliff says the contractor’s family has been notified.
The contractor’s name has not been released.
Birchcliff produces around 80,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from operations focused on the Montney and Doig resource plays in Alberta.
Birchcliff Energy Ltd. Reports Contractor Fatality by GlobeNewswire, Oct 11, 2023, Financial Post
CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Birchcliff Energy Ltd. (“Birchcliff”) (TSX: BIR) regretfully reports that there has been a contractor fatality at one of Birchcliff’s water storage pits located south of Baytree, Alberta.
Emergency response personnel responded to the scene during the evening of October 10, 2023. Although the circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated, it appears that the contractor may have drowned.
The contractor’s family have been notified of the incident. The name of the contractor will not be released without the consent of the family. Birchcliff is working with the appropriate authorities to ensure a full investigation is conducted into the cause of the incident.
“On behalf of all of us at Birchcliff, I want to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of our deceased colleague. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.
Copying the USA MAGA Klan. Thoughts and prayers are useless, an apology to the family and workers is more appropriate, and quitting frac’ing.
We have commenced an investigation into the cause of this tragic accident,” said Jeff Tonken, Birchcliff’s Chief Executive Officer.
Birchcliff’s number one priority is the health, safety and well-being of its people and it will ensure that those impacted by the incident will have the support they need, including access to grief counselling services.I beg to differ; I think Birchcliff’s number one priority is profits. If it was “health, safety and well being” of people, the company would not be frac’ing, anywhere.
About Birchcliff:
Birchcliff is an oil and natural gas company based in Calgary, Alberta with operations focused on the Montney/Doig Resource Play in Alberta.
| For further information, please contact: | |
| Birchcliff Energy Ltd. Suite 1000, 600 – 3rd Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 0G5 Telephone: (403) 261-6401 Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required www.birchcliffenergy.com | Jeff Tonken – Chief Executive Officer Chris Carlsen – President and Chief Operating Officer |
Birchcliff Energy Ltd. reports contractor fatality by in BOE Report,
Refer also to:
A few frac water hoarding dams/pits; some fenced to protect wildlife, most are not (fencing is expensive and frac’ers are cheap and greedy). Photos by Will Koop:
Many frac water hoarding pits are massive. 25 to 100% of water injected for frac’ing is lost forever to the hydrogeological cycle. Think of the severe droughts and wildfires occurring in frac fields around the world, and especially in Alberta, BC, SK.
Frac’ing is mega greed, mega stupidity and deadly.
… Gordon Cartwright, a local rancher and member of the range-preservationist Pekisko Group, also expressed his outrage in a letter to the regulator. “Is our regulator going to entertain a dubious legal ploy to trammel on the values of Albertans, and our vital interest in water conservation, as a trade for votes from the coal mine community of the Crowsnest pass; the ploys of an Australian mining dominatrix; and the business-as-usual ethic of former Environment Minister Robin Campbell?” …
2015: Jack Shawn Eyles, 28, from Kelowna, dies fracking in NE BC for Calfrac (Nitrogen Pumping Division) on Progress Energy Canada Ltd. Site: “Not an explosion as we usually think, but an explosive or sudden release of extremely high pressure”
2014: Fracking Injuries, deaths and dangers for workers and communities
… Sour gas is lethal after five minutes of exposure at doses as small as 800 parts per million and has killed 34 petroleum industry workers since 1983….
A proportion (25% to 100%) of the water used in hydraulic fracturing is not recovered, and consequently this water is lost permanently to re-use, which differs from some other water uses in which water can be recovered and processed for re-use.
2013: Former Gas Workers: Fracking Caused Health Problems and is Harmful to Environment
2012: Worker hurt in northern Alberta explosion
2012: Accident at Encana well in Colorado kills one worker, injuries three
2012: Oil industry workers oppose drilling and fracking in Calgary
2012: NASTY FRAC’ER! Encana sues top tribal judge to fend off Wyoming worker death suit
2011: For Occupational Safety and Health Research and Practice in the U.S. Oil and Gas Extraction Industry by NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA (NORA)
During 2003-2008, 648 oil and gas extraction workers were fatally injured on the job, resulting in an occupational fatality rate of 29.1 deaths per 100,000 workers – eight times higher than the rate for all U.S. workers.
Workplace Deaths Drop – But not in the Oil Industry
Alberta drastically under-reports workplace injuries
Lack of adequate procedures cause of Suncor rig blowout near Hudson’ Hope, Alberta
Worker hurt in northern Alberta explosion
Jury awards $4.1M to injured Rifle rig worker, Encana expected to appeal
Fire at gas well near Gleichen Alberta injures worker
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