Toxic Additives: How Asbestos in Drilling Mud Poisoned Oilfield Workers

For decades, workers on Louisiana oil rigs and drilling barges were told that the ‘white flaky powder’ they added to drilling mud was just a necessary tool for the job. We now know that powder was raw asbestos. While the use of asbestos in the petroleum industry was phased out in the mid-1980s, the fibers remain trapped in the lungs of thousands of workers. Because mesothelioma and asbestosis can take 40 years to manifest, the ‘oil boom’ of the 70s is causing a wave of medical crises today.

The Mud Shack Danger: Why Asbestos Was Added to Drilling Mud

In the 1960s through the mid-80s, asbestos was prized for its heat resistance and ability to thicken drilling mud. Workers in the “mud shack” often poured 50-pound bags of raw, flaky asbestos into mixers without any respiratory protection, inhaling pure fibers in poorly ventilated spaces.

Asbestos was once used to make many common products including insulation, roofing materials, automobile brake pads, and other household and commercial goods. In the 1960s asbestos was used in the petroleum industry, where the  the high heat-resistance of asbestos made it a useful additive to drilling mud.

Drilling mud is used while drilling oil and gas wells to help clear debris out of the well and to help cool the drill bit. Various substances are often added to the drilling mud to adjust its thickness and fire retardant properties. Many of these, including lead, arsenic, and chromium, are toxic. Asbestos provided superior fire resistance and helped to improve the mud’s consistency. Unfortunately, we now know that asbestos is linked to several types of cancer and other health problems.

The use of asbestos in drilling mud has been eliminated today; however, when it was first prohibited by the U.S. government, some petroleum companies apparently took the position that the federal ban did not apply to their offshore oil rigs or inland drilling barges. Thus, asbestos products could have been used in these environments even as late as the mid-1980s.

Many drilling workers can recall working with a white, flaky additive that was in 50-pound packages and added to the drilling mud in the mud shack. No proper breathing protection was provided to the workers who handled the mud additives, so many of these workers routinely inhaled pure asbestos fibers while mixing in the additives.

Other oilfield workers such as roughnecks, mud engineers, and shaker hands also were likely exposed to asbestos on a regular basis during this timeframe. Even spouses and children of drilling workers were at risk of exposure if the workers came home with asbestos fibers clinging to their clothing.

The Maritime Connection: Jones Act and LHWCA Benefits

Because much of this exposure happened on offshore rigs or inland drilling barges, victims may have rights beyond a standard personal injury claim. If your exposure occurred on a navigable vessel or offshore platform, your case may fall under The Jones Act. Learn more about how families are affected by Take-Home Asbestos Exposure.

Asbestos fibers are known to cause or increase the risk of many forms of cancer. The danger is highest among smokers, who face a substantially increased incidence of lung cancer. Studies have also shown a connection between asbestos exposure and gastrointestinal cancer, colorectal cancer, and a heightened risk for cancers of the throat, kidneys, esophagus, and other organs. Exposure is also linked to inflammation of the lungs, known as asbestosis, as well as pleural disease, which is inflammation of the tissue layers that line the lungs.

It is common for workers who have been exposed to asbestos to go for years before symptoms start to appear. Usually, early signs of exposure include shortness of breath and chest pain. A doctor can test for asbestos-related damage by using a stethoscope to listen for the characteristic sounds of the disease in the lungs. X-rays or even more accurate CT scans can provide visual confirmation of exposure and the resulting damage.

Identifying At-Risk Workers: Roughnecks, Mud Engineers, and Shaker Hands

It wasn’t just the mixers who were at risk. Anyone on the rig floor, including shaker hands and roughnecks, dealt with the mud as it circulated.  Secondary (Take-Home) Exposure, as fibers clung to work clothes and were brought home to spouses and children.

The oil companies that used asbestos in drilling operations and the companies that manufactured that asbestos can still be liable today for injuries suffered by their workers, even where a worker’s exposure occurred years or even decades in the past. In addition, if asbestos exposure occurred to drilling workers while they were working on an oil or gas rig or platform, they may qualify under maritime law for compensation.

Oil companies knew the risks of asbestos long before they stopped using it on offshore platforms. If you or a loved one spent time in a mud shack or on a rig floor and are now experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain, you are not just a victim of bad luck—you may be a victim of corporate negligence.

Contact the Berniard Law Firm today for a free consultation. We understand the technicalities of both maritime law and toxic torts, and we are ready to fight for the compensation your family deserves.