EUB UPDATES CELTIC EXPLORATION OIL WELL BLOWOUT INFORMATION
Calgary, Alberta (August 11, 2005) The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) has commenced an investigation into the technical and emergency management aspects of the Celtic Exploration oil well blowout.
The blowout occurred on Tuesday, August 9, 2005, at 4:45 p.m. during the completion stage of the oil well.
The oil well was being completed by Precision Drilling on behalf of Celtic Exploration at the time of the incident. One Precision worker was fatally injured and two other workers were sent to hospital. Sour gas has been ruled out as the cause of the worker's death. Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) has the jurisdiction to investigate the workplace accidents.
The EUB declared the well secure at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 10. At that time the fire was extinguished and the flow from the well ceased. There are no emissions from the well.
Celtic Exploration had an emergency planning zone of 40 metres. There were no homes or citizens within the 40 metre emergency planning zone and so an evacuation was not necessary.
The 1.5 kilometre evacuation was undertaken by Celtic Exploration and the local RCMP as a precautionary measure. Updated information showed the natural gas within the oil well did not exceed 0.45% (less than half of one per cent) of sour gas.
At no time was public safety at risk due to sour gas.
As the provincial energy regulator, the EUB coordinated efforts by Celtic Exploration and its contracted companies, other government agencies (Emergency Management Alberta, Alberta Environment, Workplace Health and Safety, Palliser Heath Authority, and the County of Newell) to ensure the incident was brought to a rapid conclusion.
Public safety is the EUB's first priority.
For more information on the EUB's emergency response regulations and requirements, please see the following link to the EUB web site.
The EUB ensures that the discovery, development, and delivery of Alberta's resources and utilities services take place in a manner that is fair, responsible, and in the public interest.
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For more information, please contact:
EUB Communications
Cell: 403-651-9487
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