Midland Oilfield Accidents in 2025: Permian Basin Injuries & Fatalities Surge Once Again

Midland oilfield fatalities and injuries surge in 2025 | Undefeated West Texas Oilfield Accident Lawyers

Undefeated Midland Oilfield Accident Lawyers

Oilfield accidents have declined nationwide in recent years, but not in Midland, which remains the most dangerous place in the country to work in oil and gas. Recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) data shows that oilfield workers in the Midland-Odessa region continue to face an unacceptably high — and growing — risk of serious and fatal injury, driven not by chance, but by systemic safety failures that persist year after year.

From oilfield truck crashes to crane failures and pressure releases, these aren’t just random accidents. They are the predictable result of corner-cutting, inadequate safety planning, and profit-driven decisions made by oil and gas companies that put production ahead of human life.

Holding those companies accountable requires more than experience — it demands a team with the resources, track record, and proven ability to take on the largest corporations in the world.

At Zehl & Associates, we don’t just win — we set records. Our Undefeated Midland Oilfield Accident Lawyers have recovered Billions for Texas families, including the #1 largest oilfield accident settlement in U.S. history.

Read on to learn more about Midland’s oilfield accident crisis, and how we help secure justice and maximum compensation for Texas oil and gas workers and their families.

Midland-Odessa Region Accounts for Nearly Half of All Severe Oilfield Injuries in the U.S. in 2025

Since 2022, Midland and its surrounding oil hubs have seen a sustained rise in serious oilfield injuries, even as the national rate continues to decline. Unfortunately, 2025 shows no sign of meaningful improvement.

As of April (the most recent month with available OSHA severe injury data), the Midland-Odessa oil patch had already recorded at least 20 severe oilfield injuries, marking a 25% increase over the same period last year. Even more troubling, this single region accounted for a disproportionate share of the nation’s most serious oilfield incidents, including:

55% of all severe oil and gas injuries reported in Texas
43% of all severe oil and gas injuries reported nationwide
More than half of all oilfield worker hospitalizations in the U.S.

These injuries were not confined to a single site or employer. They occurred across Midland’s oilfield corridor, including at least one serious injury in Midland County, two in Martin County, and dozens more across the small towns, lease roads, and remote well sites nearby where production pressure is high and safety oversight is often weakest.

And even these numbers tell only part of the story. OSHA severe injury reports capture only the most serious incidents (requiring hospitalization or an amputation) sustained by floorhands, drillers, roustabouts, truck drivers, and other oilfield workers supporting drilling and production operations. They do not reflect the countless injuries that go unreported, underreported, or quietly absorbed by workers trying to keep their jobs in the Permian Basin.

Most Common Causes of Midland-Odessa Oilfield Injuries in 2025

Working on oil rigs and drilling sites in Midland is inherently dangerous, but this West Texas oil patch remains the riskiest in the nation for one primary reason: the same preventable hazards continue to injure and kill workers year after year.

Federal and state work injury and crash statistics show that a small number of accident types account for the majority of serious injuries — none of them unavoidable.

Oilfield Truck Accidents

Truck crashes remain the single most dangerous and deadly threat facing oilfield workers in the Midland region. In 2025 alone, Midland reported more than 544 truck accidents, resulting in over 200 reported injuries and 13 fatalities — many involving oilfield trucks transporting water, sand, and equipment to and from well sites. At least five truck crash fatalities occurred on smaller oilfield routes, including E County Road 120 and FM 1787, where heavy truck traffic mixes with narrow lanes, poor visibility, and minimal enforcement.

These crashes are rarely caused by chance. They are typically driven by fatigued drivers, unrealistic delivery schedules, overloaded vehicles, and inadequate training, all tied directly to production pressure in the Permian Basin.

Struck-By and Caught-Between Incidents

Struck-by and caught-between accidents remain a leading cause of severe oilfield injuries. Workers are crushed between heavy equipment, struck by moving vehicles, or hit by unsecured loads during rig-up, rig-down, and maintenance operations—often when crews are rushed or understaffed.

Fires, Explosions, and Pressure Releases

Explosions, blowouts, flash fires, and other pressure-related incidents continue to cause some of the most catastrophic injuries in Midland oilfield operations. Equipment failures, ignored warning signs, and inadequate safety controls can turn routine tasks into fatal events in seconds.

The Real Culprit: Corporate Negligence

When the same types of accidents occur again and again, year over year, it’s important to examine why they keep happening. In our experience representing injured oilfield workers and grieving families, these incidents are rarely unavoidable. They are the direct result of preventable safety failures, including:

Inadequate training or supervision, particularly among inexperienced or newly hired contractors
Poor equipment maintenance, delayed inspections, or use of defective tools and machinery
Worker fatigue caused by long hours, understaffed crews, and relentless production demands
Pressure to rush or cut corners, especially during drilling, fracking, and maintenance operations
High turnover, which leads to untrained crews working in high-risk environments with little oversight

When oil and gas companies choose speed and profits over safety, it is workers and their families who pay the price.

Midland-Odessa Saw 85% of All Texas Oilfield Fatalities in 2025 — And Nearly Half of All U.S. Oilfield Deaths

From January through June 2025, OSHA fatality inspection data confirms that the majority of the nation’s oilfield deaths once again occurred in West Texas, where drilling, completions, and production activity remain heavily concentrated. Midland continues to bear the heaviest burden:

14 oilfield worker deaths across the country
7 of those fatalities in Texas
6 fatalities in Permian Basin, including Martin County, and nearby Andrews, Glasscock, and Reeves counties

While OSHA has not yet released complete fatality data for the remainder of the year — delays likely compounded by the month-long federal government shutdown in October and November 2025 — the available numbers suggest no meaningful improvement in oilfield safety. Even at current levels, Midland’s oilfield fatalities mirror the same period last year, which saw five oilfield deaths by midyear.

Preventable fatal oilfield accidents in 2025 included:

Sendero Drilling Blowout Preventer Failure, December 2024

At an Andrews County drilling site, an employee working for Sendero Drilling Company was standing near the blowout preventer (BOP) when a choke and kill line became dislodged, releasing high-pressure material. The worker was struck by the kill line and killed instantly.

Propetro Services Pressurized Oilfield Equipment Rupture, January 2025

One worker was killed and two more seriously injured when a pressurized line carrying about 9,000 psi detached from a fracking unit at a site operated by ProPetro Services in Pecos (Reeves County). OSHA cited ProPetro Services Inc. for serious safety violations, including failing to provide a workplace free from recognized struck-by hazards. The company was fined more than $16,000.

Unit Drilling Company Blowout Preventer Fatality, April 2025

Just three months later, another fatal oilfield accident occurred at a well site in Pecos during blowout preventer (BOP) testing on a rig operated by Unit Drilling Company. According to OSHA’s fatality inspection report, workers were exposed to pressurized equipment that created a deadly struck-by hazard. OSHA concluded that the employer failed to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards and cited the company for more than $16,000 in safety violations.

Goldsmith Unit Services Oilfield Crane Accident, May 2025

At a Garden City wellsite, Goldsmith Unit Services was cited for serious safety violations and over $23,000 in fines after employees used a truck crane to pull polished rods without ensuring proper load control. Workers were not kept clear of suspended loads when the pumping unit’s horsehead became unseated, an incident that tragically resulted in a fatality.

Tragically, although oil and gas workers make up only a fraction of the state’s workforce, the industry accounted for approximately 8% of all workplace fatalities statewide in 2025 — one of the highest fatality rates of any sector. And these figures reflect only federally reported deaths and likely understate the true toll.

A Preventable Death in Martin County: Our Fight for Full Accountability in Tarzan, Texas

In June 2025, our client was working at a Martin County well site near Tarzan, Texas, operated by ExxonMobil, Diamondback Energy, and Deep Blue Holdings, when he suffered fatal injuries in an entirely preventable incident.

Our undefeated oilfield truck accident lawyers quickly discovered that the small trucking company listed on federal reports was only part of the story. In Midland and Martin County, major operators routinely outsource critical work, while retaining control over schedules, job sequencing, and site conditions. When reckless decisions that prioritize speed and production result in entirely preventable fatalities, these companies must be held fully responsible.

But accountability requires uncovering who truly controlled the work and proving how the accident could — and should — have been prevented. Unlike other firms, our approach is fully client-focused. We meticulously investigate every party involved, building a trial-ready case from day one. We stand up to the companies and their teams of lawyers — no matter their size. And we ensure families secure both justice and the full compensation they deserve.

How Zehl & Associates Can Help After a Catastrophic Oilfield Accident in the Permian Basin

Behind every OSHA report is a family whose life is permanently changed. In Midland and across West Texas, catastrophic oilfield accidents don’t just injure workers—they leave spouses suddenly without partners, children without parents, and families facing overwhelming medical bills, lost income, and unanswered questions about how a preventable tragedy was allowed to happen.

These incidents ripple far beyond the wellsite, placing enormous emotional and financial strain on families who are already struggling to cope with devastating loss or life-altering injuries.

At Zehl & Associates, we understand that no amount of money can undo a catastrophic oilfield injury or bring back a loved one. But from day one, our focus is on accountability, justice, and securing the maximum compensation our clients deserve — so families can rebuild their lives and companies are forced to change dangerous practices.

For injured oilfield workers and families who have lost someone, our firm stands apart because we provide:

Immediate access to top medical specialists, ensuring our clients receive the best possible care while their injuries are fully and properly documented
A meticulous, trial-driven approach to maximizing compensation, including lost income, future earnings, medical care, and the full human impact of the injury or loss
A refusal to accept anything less than the maximum compensation possible for all of our clients’ injuries and losses
24/7 access and support, because questions, emergencies, and concerns don’t stop after business hours
Trial-ready representation from day one, with every case prepared as if it will be presented to a jury
A team that stands with you every step of the way, from the initial investigation through resolution—never backing down, never backing off

Oil and gas companies know our reputation. They’ve seen what happens when we take a case to trial—and they know the risk they face if they refuse to take full responsibility.

Undefeated Midland-Odessa Oilfield Accident Lawyers: 1-888-603-3636

With Billions won and having successfully represented over 1,000 oilfield workers across the Permian Basin, our Undefeated Texas Oilfield Accident Lawyers have repeatedly secured the largest oilfield verdicts and settlements in history, ensuring our clients recover the justice and maximum compensation they deserve.

If you or a loved one were injured in an oilfield accident, contact us today for a Free Consultation at (888) 603-3636 or send us a confidential email through our Contact Form.

We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights and options, and provide you with the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

All consultations are free and completely confidential, and you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.