Taylor Sheridan’sLandmanshows oilfields as an exceptionally dangerous place to work, but just how deadly are Texas oil drilling sites in real life, and did the show exaggerate for dramatic effect?Landmanfollows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) and the rest of thecast ofLandmanas they navigate several different crises and tragedies the oil industry faces.Landmanis also inspired by a true story, so its deep dive into the life of roughnecks (oil workers) is exceedingly accurate. One area seems a bit too tragic to be true, however: the dangers of working an oilfield.
By theending ofLandmanepisode 2, the show had already killed three roughnecks in a massive blowout. Something as simple as turning a valve caused the explosion, and it seemed like any roughneck could die at a moment’s notice. Tommy explained, however, that roughnecks make huge amounts of money to compensate those dangers, andLandman’s oil worker salaryisn’t far off from the real figure. While the salary is mostly accurate,Landmandidn’t answer whether the dangers themselves are reflective of real life, or whether they’re exaggerated for dramatic purposes.
Landman Needs To Show The Dangers Of Working In An Oilfield
Oilfield Dangers Create Suspense & Excitement & Give Tommy Norris Something To Do
Landman, by design, mostly deals with the dangers of working on an oilfield. Tommy’s job as a landman is predicated upon solving crises like deaths and injuries, so of courseLandmanwould show him handling such incidents.More than that, however, death and injury creates drama and suspense forLandman, and it makes for much more interesting television than a safe and properly functioning oil derrick. Unfortunately,Landmanalso isn’t very far off from the real-life dangers roughnecks face on a daily basis.
Deaths In Texas Oilfields (& The Rest Of The U.S.)
Texas Leads The U.S. In Oilfield Deaths, But Also Oil Production
As devastating as the deaths onLandmanhave been, they’re based in reality.In the five years between 2014 and 2019, Texas oilfields saw 219 deaths, compared to the second most deadly state for roughnecks, Oklahoma, which had just 48 in the same period(viaJournal of Petroleum Technology).Landman, however, has yet to include the most common cause of death for Texas roughnecks: being struck by objects or vehicles.
“Across Texas, the leading factors to death are similar: 54 people died from being hit by an object on site, and 53 people died in vehicle crashes.”
There is a caveat to that statistic, however. Texas - and particularly the Permian Basin, where the show takes place but notwhereLandmanwas filmed- produces the most oil in the entire country. JPT noted “The [Permian Basin] produces about 40% of the nation’s oil supply and, according to the new study, had just 30% of the industry-related deaths.” With so much drilling happening, there are more roughnecks in Texas and more chances for injury or death.Proportionally, there should actually be more deaths in West Texas than in places like Oklahoma, which accounts for 10% of oil deaths yet just 3% of oil production.
Why Cooper Is Called “Worm” In Landman
Cooper Norris is frequently called a worm in Taylor Sheridan’s Landman, but what does the title mean, and what does it mean for Cooper’s story?
Oil-related injury statistics tell a similar story to the death statistics. The oil and gas industry accounted for 2,101 of the injuries reported to OSHA from 2015 to July 2022 (viaCDC). That includes 417 amputations and 1,194 hospitalizations.In short, being a roughneck is an incredibly dangerous job, andLandman’s incidents so far have been very realistic. There have also been great strides towards safety in recent years, such as increased automation, but for now,Landmanis an unfortunately accurate depiction of work on an oil rig.
Landman
Cast
Set in West Texas, this series explores the world of oil rigs and the fortunes they create. It portrays a modern upstairs/downstairs narrative of roughnecks and billionaires, highlighting the profound impact on the climate, economy, and geopolitics in these boomtowns.
