Bob Schuster is representing the family of a man killed on a drilling rig outside Pinedale, Wyoming on January 5, 2011. He was employed as the motor man on the rig and it was engaged in drilling operations in the gas fields outside of Pinedale.
A nipple/manifold junction failed, causing drilling mud to explode from the manifold’s orifice. The drilling mud had substantial quantities of diesel, but lighter gases were also present. Vapors from those lighter gases ignited which then raised the temperature of the drilling mud to a level that caused the diesel to catch fire. The result was an explosion and an intense fire. The ignition source is believed to be an electrical light at the rig site that—in spite of standards to the contrary—was not explosion-proof. He was pronounced dead on the rig floor. He is survived by his wife and son.