Update
Regional Emergency Operations Centre (REOC)
December 16th, 2004, 10:00 p.m.
Acheson Well Control Incident West of Edmonton

This update is intended to provide you with the latest information about the above incident from the REOC Centre located at the Alberta Energy Utilities Board (EUB) St. Albert Field Centre. The Acclaim Energy Trust well control incident is located west of the City of Edmonton.

Public Complaints/Enquiries

• Between 2:00 p.m. December 16 and 10:00 p.m. December 16, 2004, there have been 2 public / complaints / enquiries received at the REOC. Capital Health Link has received 18 calls.
• Area residents who have any health-related questions are being encouraged to call the Capital Health Link (24 hours) at 780-408-5465.

Well Control

• Acclaim is pursuing multiple options with respect to well control.
• Acclaim is preparing the site for 2 possible relief well locations.
• Acclaim has posted an 'Evacuee's Update' and diagrams of well control options. http://www.acclaimtrust.com/. There are approximately 22 families within a 1 km radius of the well that remain evacuated.
• Acclaim indicates it could take as long as 2 weeks to bring the well fully under control.

Air Monitoring

• There are currently 8 stationary and 5 mobile for a total of 13 ambient air quality monitors.
• Ambient H₂S (sour gas) levels have been detected in the range of 0 to 0.001 ppm (parts per million) from 2:00 p.m. December 16 to 10:00 p.m. December 16, 2004.
• Ambient SO₂ levels have been detected in the range of 0 to 0.003 ppm during the same period.

Produced Fluid Storage/Disposal 

• The well is producing salt water and some hydrocarbons which are being directed to earthen pits at the site.
• The fluid is being recovered and trucked to suitable, approved disposal sites.
• A soil and groundwater specialist is reviewing the storage of these liquids for Acclaim.
• Acclaim has posted their water plan at: www.acclaimtrust.com

The REOC was opened on Monday December 13, 2004 and will continue to be operational until the conclusion of the well control incident.