LINCOLN COUNTY — Yesterday morning, during routine maintenance at the Williams Opal natural gas processing plant in southwest Wyoming, an operations technician sustained a fatal injury at the facility. The exact cause of his death and the circumstances surrounding the injury are still being investigated.

Michael Smuin, 36, of Kemmerer, Wyo., was an operations technician at the Opal plant. He had been with the company eight years.

Mike will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at the Opal plant and across Williams. The company grieves his loss and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived on site yesterday to begin its formal investigation. Williams has assembled its own investigation team composed of experts from across the company who currently are at the facility.

“We have confirmed the integrity of the facility, and with OSHA’s approval, have begun the methodical process of bringing the plant back online,” says Walt Bennett, Williams’ senior vice president and leader of the West operating area who is onsite at the Opal plant.

Williams appreciates the prompt response by local and county emergency responders and for their assistance yesterday morning.