The February 15, 2018, methane blowout at XTO Energy’s Schnegg C 7H well in Belmont County, Ohio, was a massive industrial accident—as well as a completely preventable disaster emblematic of corporate negligence and greed.
This catastrophic event released more than 60,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere over 20 days, causing environmental devastation, public health risks, and economic fallout for local communities.
It’s a case study in how corporate misconduct, when unchecked by robust regulation and accountability, can wreak havoc on society.
A Climate Time Bomb
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, with a global warming potential 80 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
The Schnegg C 7H blowout released more methane in three weeks than many entire countries emit from their oil and gas sectors in a year. This single incident equated to the annual emissions of approximately 350,000 passenger vehicles.
The environmental harm caused by this blowout extends beyond its contribution to climate change.
Methane emissions exacerbate ground-level ozone formation, which damages ecosystems and harms human respiratory health.
Additionally, the release of methane and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the incident likely contaminated local air quality, posing long-term risks to both wildlife and agriculture in the region.
XTO Energy’s failure to properly design and cement the well casings or monitor pressure levels underscores the company’s disregard for environmental stewardship.
These lapses violated state permit requirements and industry best practices, demonstrating that XTO prioritized cost-cutting over environmental safety.
Public Health Risks
Methane is colorless and odorless, making it an invisible threat to public health.
When released in high concentrations, it displaces oxygen in the air and acts as an asphyxiant.
The blowout also released other hazardous substances that posed immediate and long-term health risks to nearby residents.
During the incident, many residents reported symptoms such as nausea, headaches, and respiratory distress—classic signs of exposure to VOCs and other toxic emissions.
Long-term exposure to these pollutants has been linked to chronic respiratory diseases, neurological disorders, and even cancer.
Despite these risks, XTO Energy failed to provide adequate transparency or resources for affected communities to understand or mitigate potential health impacts.
The company’s negligence in addressing these health risks highlights a broader issue within corporate culture: the prioritization of profits over people.
By failing to invest in proper safety measures or communicate openly with the public, XTO put countless lives at risk.
Communities Bear the Costs
The economic impact of the blowout was felt most acutely by local communities.
Residents within a two-mile radius were evacuated for safety reasons, disrupting their lives and livelihoods. Emergency responders had to establish exclusion zones and relocate command posts at significant cost.
Local utilities like American Electric Power were forced to shut off electricity in affected areas due to fire hazards from sparking distribution lines.
While XTO Energy eventually paid $8 million in civil penalties under a consent decree with federal regulators, this amount pales in comparison to ExxonMobil’s annual profits.
For a corporation of this size, such fines are often seen as a mere cost of doing business rather than a meaningful deterrent against future misconduct.
Meanwhile, the financial burden of recovery efforts—both immediate and long-term—fell disproportionately on local governments and taxpayers.
This economic disparity underscores how neoliberal capitalism enables corporations to externalize costs onto vulnerable communities while reaping enormous profits.
The Schnegg C 7H blowout is a dire example of how wealth disparity is perpetuated by systems that prioritize shareholder returns over social responsibility.
A Pattern of Misconduct
XTO Energy’s actions—or lack thereof—before, during, and after the blowout reveal systemic failures in corporate governance. The company ignored multiple warning signs of abnormal pressure buildups at the Schnegg C 7H well.
It also failed to implement basic safety measures such as regular pressure monitoring or risk assessments for simultaneous operations at adjacent wells.
These failures were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of negligence within ExxonMobil’s subsidiary operations.
Internal documents revealed that XTO had a history of cutting corners on safety protocols to save costs—a strategy that ultimately backfired with catastrophic consequences.
The regulatory framework also bears some responsibility for enabling this misconduct. Despite clear violations of the Clean Air Act and other environmental regulations, XTO faced relatively minor penalties compared to the scale of harm caused.
This lack of accountability sends a dangerous message: that corporations can continue endangering public health and the environment without facing significant consequences.
Who Pays the Price Here?
The Schnegg C 7H blowout disproportionately affected marginalized communities already grappling with economic instability and limited access to healthcare.
These communities often lack the resources or political influence needed to hold corporations accountable for their actions.
Moreover, incidents like this exacerbate existing social inequalities by diverting public funds away from essential services like education and healthcare toward emergency response efforts. They also erode trust between local governments and their constituents when regulatory agencies fail to protect public interests effectively.
This dynamic highlights the urgent need for grassroots movements to challenge corporate power through unionizing efforts, community organizing, and legal advocacy.
By amplifying worker voices and prioritizing social justice, these movements can help shift the balance of power away from profit-driven corporations toward more equitable systems.
A Call for Systemic Change
To prevent future disasters like this one, systemic changes are needed at multiple levels:
- Stronger Regulations: Governments must enforce stricter safety standards for oil and gas operations while increasing penalties for violations.
- Corporate Transparency: Companies should be required to disclose detailed risk assessments and mitigation plans for high-risk activities.
- Community Empowerment: Local communities should have greater input in decisions affecting their environment and health.
- Transition to Renewables: Reducing reliance on fossil fuels through investment in renewable energy sources is essential for mitigating climate change and preventing similar incidents.
Lessons from Belmont County
The disaster reminder of what happens when corporate greed goes unchecked.
It underscores the urgent need for stronger accountability measures to protect public health, preserve environmental integrity, and ensure economic justice.
As we reflect on this disaster, we must ask ourselves whether we are willing to continue tolerating such risks for the sake of corporate profits—or if we will demand a more equitable system that prioritizes people over profit. The choice is ours to make—but time is running out for both our communities and our planet.
Unfortunately, I have written other stories on XTO Energy’s excessive pollution: