Alberta company fined after worker severely burned in 2021 oil and gas site fire

EDMONTON – O’Reilly Oilfield Services Ltd. has been fined $90,000 after pleading guilty to one count of failing to protect the health and safety of workers under its supervision.
The sentence comes after one worker was severely burned by a fire in July 2021 at an oil and gas site near Valleyview, in northwest Alberta.
The Alberta government says it happened when liquid from a decommissioned pipeline ignited and overflowed from a portable flare stack.
Crown prosecutors withdrew five other charges against the company.
The Crown also withdrew 15 occupational health and safety charges against Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. related to the same incident.
O’Reilly Oilfield Services and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.