Equinor Accident Attorneys
Equinor: An Oil Company with a History of Negligence
A Norwegian energy company that was founded in 1972, Equinor currently employs almost 22,000 workers and operates in 30 countries. It has been operating in the Gulf of Mexico since 1987. Originally called Statoil ASA, the company decided to drop the “oil” in its name and rebrand. The name change to Equinor ASA was approved in May 2018, and the company began working to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm. In the meantime, Equinor continues to explore, develop, and produce oil and gas, and the company is known as a leading exporter of petroleum.
Equinor’s Spotty Employee Safety Record
- In April 2023, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) investigated an Equinor rig, Statfjord B, when a worker was injured. After gas pressure built up behind some loose bolts, it launched a 75-pound piece of equipment into the air before it fell onto a worker’s face. The injured rig worker had to be flown to land for medical treatment. This incident came on the heels of four other Equinor accidents that had occurred the January and February prior, accidents that had also resulted in serious injuries.
- A document from July 2022 showed that Equinor had reported 10 oil and gas leaks in the previous year. The company also reported a troubling increase in worker injuries.
- In November 2022, a fire broke out on a natural gas platform called Asgard B. The incident involved a fire that started from overheating and an arc flashing in a transformer.
- In April 2020, a worker fell nearly 12 feet, fracturing his wrist and cracking his spine in what could have been a deadly accident. The worker also suffered a concussion. The PSA found multiple violated regulations on Equinor's Oseberg B platform, where the accident took place.
- In November 2019, an explosion injured two workers on the Heimdal platform owned and operated by Equinor. The explosion came from a portable gas container, and the serious accident sent the two workers to the hospital.
- In April 2016, a Statoil helicopter accident killed 13 people, one of whom was a Schlumberger employee. Apparently, the helicopter involved had had its maintenance service delayed twice the year before.
These are just some of the recent examples of Equinor’s pattern of negligence that threatens its workers’ safety. Instead of preventing such problems from reoccurring, these entrenched patterns of failing to maintain equipment and abide by safety regulations have cost workers' their health and sometimes even their lives.
Turn to Our Record-Setting Offshore Injury Lawyers
When oil companies don’t take their responsibility to employees seriously, and they don’t accept liability for their workers’ injuries, our lawyers take action. Corporations like Equinor are adept at dragging out injury or even wrongful death cases such that plaintiffs run out of funds to continue their case, and then they are forced to accept a small settlement or walk away with nothing at all. If you’re facing financial difficulties and mental anguish caused by Equinor, you can rely on the attorneys at Arnold & Itkin to advocate for your rights and demand justice. We’ve recovered more than $20 billion for our clients in the past. Find out how we may be able to help you too, and with no upfront costs, as we take on the legal fees and don’t charge a cent until we win your case.
Call (888) 346-5024 to schedule your free consultation with our Equinor accident attorneys.