Utah man dies after oil explosion in North Dakota

THE ASSOCIATED Press

First Published Sep 16 2012 11:37 am • Last Updated Sep 16 2012 11:42 am

Williston, N.D. • A Utah man has died of injuries suffered in an oil rig explosion in western North Dakota.

The Mountrail County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Jeffery Kinkaid, 29, of Nephi, died Friday. He was injured in an explosion Sept. 4 at a rig site southwest of Stanley and then airlifted to a Minnesota burn center, the Williston Herald reported.

Kinkaid worked for Denver-based Frontier Drilling at the rig site owned by Wichita, Kan.-based Slawson Exploration Co. Inc.

Frontier spokesman James Lynch said Kinkaid was transferring drilling fluid out of a 400-barrel tank when the blast happened. He suffered burns on about 90 percent of his body.

Slawson spokesman Stuart Kowalski said Kinkaid was opening the tank’s lid when it exploded.

Kinkaid had worked on the rig since January at different locations, Lynch said. He said the incident is still under investigation.

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