Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas · Watford City, ND

Exploration Drilling, INC.

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Exploration Drilling, INC. has a mixed safety record: 3 violations across 4 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Lower half by penalty100% serious
$2,450
OSHA penalties
3
Violations cited
4
OSHA inspections
#73,584
of 100,495 penalized employers

Exploration Drilling, INC. in Watford City, ND has been the subject of 4 OSHA workplace inspections and 3 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $2,450. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has kept close, sustained watch on Exploration Drilling, INC.: 4 inspections in 1 year, several times a year. These inspections resulted in 3 violations, averaging 0.8 per inspection, on the lighter side. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the lower half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 3 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this runs moderately above peers (1.9x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, San Benito Supply in Greenfield, CA is another mining, quarrying, oil & gas employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $2,430 in current penalties.

0.8
violations per inspection
100.0%
of violations were serious
27%
of penalized employers rank lower

How Exploration Drilling, INC. compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Exploration Drilling, INC. runs moderately below peers (0.6x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

Where this penalty ranks nationally

Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty

$2,450 Top 27% most affordable more affordable than 73% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). This entry sits in this band. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Above this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Above this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Above this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). Above this entry. This employer $0 $55,000 every penalized U.S. employer, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. employers with a penalty. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts · 2026

What the Data Says About Exploration Drilling, INC.

The federal enforcement record for Exploration Drilling, INC. in Watford City, ND includes 4 OSHA inspections and 3 violations, translating to 0.75 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 3 (100.0%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) as repeat. Serious violations denote hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm; willful and repeat categories indicate intentional disregard or recurrence of previously cited hazards.

OSHA assessed $4,900 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $2,450 - a 50.0% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $613. Against the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas industry average of $4,394 per employer, this record runs moderately below peers (0.6x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2014-07-24 to 2014-11-04, a window of roughly 1 year.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

4

First Inspection

2014-07-24

Last Inspection

2014-11-04

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

0.8

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$613

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,034

What this shows 4 inspections over 1 year, averaging 0.8 violations per visit. That's $613 per inspection vs. the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas average of $2,034.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

3

Serious

100.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

0

Other-Than-Serious

0.0% of total

What this shows Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.

Enforcement detail

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed

$4,900

Current Penalty Amount

$2,450

Penalty Reduction

50.0%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $2,450 from the initial assessment of $4,900. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas

How Exploration Drilling, INC. compares to the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas sector, which has 2,359 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Exploration Drilling, INC. Industry Avg
Inspections 4 2.2
Violations 3 3.1
Total Penalty $2,450 $4,394
Avg Penalty per Inspection $613 $2,034

Nearby & Similar Employers in Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas

Compare Exploration Drilling, INC. vs Nomac Drilling, LLC Rig #90 side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Exploration Drilling, INC. safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Exploration Drilling, INC.'s workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 3 violations across 4 inspections, including 3 serious violations. Compared to Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Exploration Drilling, INC. have?
Exploration Drilling, INC. has 3 OSHA violations on record, including 3 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $2,450.
How many OSHA inspections has Exploration Drilling, INC. had?
Exploration Drilling, INC. has had 4 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2014-07-24 and the most recent on 2014-11-04. This averages 0.8 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Exploration Drilling, INC.?
Exploration Drilling, INC. has been assessed $2,450 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $4,900 (a 50.0% reduction).
Does Exploration Drilling, INC. have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Exploration Drilling, INC. has 3 serious violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
What industry does Exploration Drilling, INC. operate in?
Exploration Drilling, INC. operates in the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas sector (NAICS code 213112). This industry has 2,359 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 5,096 total OSHA inspections and $10.36M in cumulative penalties.
How does Exploration Drilling, INC.'s safety record compare to industry average?
Exploration Drilling, INC.'s total OSHA penalty of $2,450 is below the Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas industry average of $4,394 per employer. The employer has 4 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.2 per employer. For a direct comparison, San Benito Supply in Greenfield, CA is a similar mining, quarrying, oil & gas employer with $2,430 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Exploration Drilling, INC.'s record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

These figures are the federal enforcement record on file and reflect past inspections, not a statement about current workplace conditions. See the disclaimer for how to read them.

Data Sources & Methodology

Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data

Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.

Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.

Employer Matching

Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.

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Every figure on PlainWorker is rendered directly from official U.S. Department of Labor OSHA and Wage & Hour Division enforcement records, no number is typed in by an editor. This employer's ratios (penalty-per-violation, industry comparisons) are computed live from the 4 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.