Emergency services personnel in West Virginia are being offered oil spill and accident response training following two incidents in the northern region of the state.

The Associated Press reports that the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association will be hosting training sessions at the end of October to increase preparedness for emergency response crews, following a well fire and a rig explosion in which seven people were injured.

Training will be carried out by Houston-based Well Control and will focus on ensuring best-practice protocols are followed.

"It's going to be an overview of the difference between conventional gas wells and Marcellus shale wells, the decision-making process, and what they should or shouldn't do," said Jimmy Gianato, director of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

There is also an increasing focus on land-based safety training in states involved in the development of the Marcellus Shale play, which extends from the mid-west eastwards to southern New York State.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development