Fatalities in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry Data 2017
This page contains FOG data by year for key FOG variables. Data for certain years are combined due to reporting requirements. For more information regarding the request for additional data, please visit our FAQs, Resources, and Contact Information page.
The FOG data in the tables below include all FOG identified fatalities that occurred during 2017. In this time frame, FOG captured 69 fatalities as a result of 65 incidents, including 3 multiple fatality incidents.
Table 1: Fatally injured workers as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 2: State where workers were fatally injured as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 3: Age of fatally injured workers as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 4: Years of industry experience of fatally injured workers as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 5: Fatally injured workers working unobserved or alone as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 6: Industry group for fatally injured workers as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 7: Operation being conducted when worker was fatally injured as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 8: Event type causing worker fatality as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 9: Activity being conducted when worker was fatally injured as captured in FOG, 2017
Table 10: Incidents involving multiple fatalities as captured in FOG, 2017
| Year | Fatalities | Average # of Rigs* |
| 2017 | 69 | 876 |
*The active rotary rig count is a recognized metric of industry activity in oil and gas extraction. The data source for the active rotary rig count is the Baker Hughes Rig Count and includes both land-based and offshore rigs. Average number of rigs is the annual U.S. average for the year being reported.
Table Index
*The active rotary rig count is a recognized metric of industry activity in oil and gas extraction. The data source for the active rotary rig count is the Baker Hughes Rig Count and includes both land-based and offshore rigs.
+Fatality count suppressed for fewer than 3 fatalities.
Table Index
| Age | Fatalities | % |
| Under 21 | 3 | 4% |
| 21-30 | 17 | 25% |
| 31-40 | 8 | 12% |
| 41-50 | 16 | 23% |
| 51-60 | 10 | 14% |
| 61+ | 11 | 16% |
| Unknown | 4 | 6% |
| Total | 69 | 100% |
| Working Unobserved or Alone | Fatalities |
| Working unobserved | 20* |
| Working alone | 28 |
*Information unknown for 48 of the 69 fatally injured workers.
Table Index
| Industry Group (NAICS) | Fatalities+ | % |
| Well Servicing (213112) | 43 | 62% |
| Drilling Operations (213111) | 6 | 9% |
| Specialized Freight (484220) | <3 | – |
| Operator (211) | <3 | – |
| Other Industry* | 9 | 13% |
| Unknown | 7 | 10% |
| Total | 69 | 100% |
*Data combined for reporting purposes.
+Fatality count suppressed for fewer than 3 fatalities.
| Operation | Fatalities+ | % |
| Unspecified: roadway | 17 | 25% |
| Production | 15 | 22% |
| Drilling Operations | 10 | 14% |
| Well Servicing, intervention, or workover | 8 | 12% |
| Yard Operations | 8 | 12% |
| Well completion: Hydraulic fracturing | 7 | 10& |
| Well completion: Other | <3 | – |
| Unspecified: Wellsite operations | <3 | – |
| Well completion: Flowback | <3 | – |
| Waste fluid treatment and disposal | <4 | – |
| Total | 69 | 100% |
+Fatality count suppressed for fewer than 3 fatalities.
Table Index
| Event type | Fatalities+ | % |
| Vehicle incidents | 29 | 42% |
| Roadway | 22 | 32% |
| On-site | 7 | 10% |
| Contact injuries | 22 | 24% |
| Struck by | 9 | 13% |
| Caught between or crushed | 6 | 9% |
| Struck by falling object | 3 | 4% |
| Explosion (combustion or fire) | 10 | 14% |
| Exposures | 4 | 6% |
| Harmful substance | <3 | – |
| Environmental | <3 | – |
| Alcohol or drug poisoning | <3 | – |
| Fall: from height | 4 | 6% |
| Cardiac event (possible work exposure) | <3 | – |
| Cardiac event (no known work exposure) | <3 | – |
| Electrocutions | <3 | – |
| Explosion (pressure) | <3 | – |
| Total | 69 | 100% |
+Fatality count suppressed for fewer than 3 fatalities.
Table Index
| Activities | Fatalities+ |
| Transport: | 19 |
| Fluids | 12 |
| Unspecified cargo | 4 |
| Equipment, proppant, or supplies hauling | <3 |
| Other types of cargo | <3 |
| Repair or maintenance: | 11 |
| Equipment | 5 |
| Flowlines | 3 |
| Rig | <3 |
| Separation equipment | <3 |
| Vehicle | <3 |
| Housekeeping and cleaning: | 8 |
| Equipment | 4 |
| Tanks or other vessels | 4 |
| Material Handling: | 7 |
| Powered equipment | 7 |
| Travel: | 7 |
| Light duty vehicle (unknown) | 7 |
| Drilling, Pulling or Running tubulars: | 6 |
| Make up or break-out | 4 |
| Lay down or pick-up | <3 |
| Racking Back | <3 |
| Rigging up or down | 6 |
| Break or rest | <3 |
| Chemical handling | <3 |
| Equipment assembly or dismantle | <3 |
| Hotwork and welding | <3 |
| Plug drill out | <3 |
| Pressure pumping | <3 |
| Spotting | <3 |
| Tank opening, gauging, or sampling | <3 |
| Training | <3 |
| Well control equipment activities | <3 |
| Wellhead or pumping unit activities | <3 |
| Wellsite construction or upkeep | <3 |
| Wireline and slickline activities | <3 |
+Fatality count suppressed for fewer than 3 fatalities.
Table Index
| Event type | Phase of Operation | Activities | |
| 1 | Explosion (pressure) | Yard Operations |
|
| 2 | Explosion (combustion) or fire | Production |
|
| 3 | Vehicle incident: roadway | Unspecified: roadway |
|
+Fatality count suppressed for fewer than 3 fatalities.
Table Index