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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EUB BEGINS INVESTIGATION OF RELEASE CONTAINING SOUR GAS AND FIRE AT SHELL SCOTFORD UPGRADER

Calgary, Alberta (November 19, 2007) The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) is investigating a gas release and fire that resulted in the evacuation of a number of workers from a portion of the Shell Canada Scotford Upgrader plant near Fort Saskatchewan this afternoon.

At approximately 4 p.m. a gas release (containing mostly hydrogen, some light hydrocarbons and 6.5 per cent hydrogen sulphide) and a resulting fire occurred within the Scotford Upgrader's Residue Hydroconversion Unit. The fire was suppressed by on-site personnel. No members of the public or Shell employees were injured as a result of this incident. Air monitoring in the area detected no levels of H2S, although there have been public reports of off-site odours. No public evacuations were necessary.

The release has been isolated, however, the EUB is continuing to conduct ambient air quality monitoring in the area.

The Shell Scotford Upgrader was the site of two sour gas incidents in September 2006. On September 7, 2006, the upgrader experienced a release of high pressure sour gas from a sulphur recovery unit during maintenance which then ignited. On September 12, a gas release, containing small quantities of hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide, occurred within a Residue Hydroconversion Unit that was subsequently taken out of service. No members of the public or Shell employees were injured as a result of the incidents.

As a result of an investigation into the two September 2006 incidents, the EUB directed Shell to: schedule an exercise to test a new automated call-out system and provide a report to the EUB upon completion; conduct an emergency response plan exercise, and; provide a report to the EUB when updated resident information for 2007 was completed to ensure all members of the public are fully informed of the process of how to shelter during an incident.

All appropriate authorities have been notified. EUB staff are onsite and, as is the normal practice, will conduct an investigation. The investigation will use additional resources to focus on technical aspects of the facilities involved with the goal of ensuring that similar incidents do not happen again.

The EUB ensures that the discovery, development, and delivery of Alberta's energy resources and utility services take place in a manner that is fair, responsible, and in the public interest.

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For more information, please contact:
Davis Sheremata
EUB Communications
Phone: 403-605-4216
Email: Davis.Sheremata@eub.ca

NR2007-49