Texas Oilfield Company Indicted In 2019 Gas Deaths: DOJ

MIDLAND, TX — A Texas oilfield company and one of its executives were indicted by a federal grand jury in Midland on Tuesday in connection with a pair of 2019 gas-related deaths to an employee and his wife.

Aghorn Operating Inc. and Vice President Trent Day are facing charges of violating the Clean Air Act by the release of hydrogen sulfide from one of their facilities as well as OSHA crimes and obstructing an OSHA investigation, according to the Department of Justice.

The charges stem from the October 2019 deaths of employee Jacob Dean and his wife, Natalee Dean, after they were exposed to the gas at an Aghorn facility in Odessa.

Jacob Dean was checking the pump house at the facility, which is an enclosed building with two bay doors. A water leak from a faulty pump contained hydrogen sulfide, overwhelming Jacob. Natalee Dean went to the facility to find her husband when he didn't return and didn't answer calls and was also overwhelmed. Both victims were dead when first responders found them, according to the release.

The indictment accuses Aghorn of knowing its produced water contained high amounts of hydrogen sulfide as well as the deadly nature of the gas and Day of knowingly violating a general duty to prevent the accidental release of the gas, placing another person in imminent danger, according to the release.