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News Release     

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ERCB WORKING WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES FOLLOWING CRUDE OIL EFFLUENT PIPELINE LEAK NEAR SMITH

Calgary, Alberta (April 30, 2008) The Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) is working closely with emergency services personnel after a crude oil effluent pipeline leak 40 km west of the community of Smith.

The leak was discovered at approximately 9:30 a.m. this morning at a crude oil effluent pipeline licensed to Penn West near the Otauwau River.  Approximately 125 barrels of oil was being pumped through this pipeline per day and an undetermined volume (less than 125 barrels) leaked from the pipeline into the Otauwau River.  The spill location is approximately 15 km upriver from the point where the Otauwau River meets the Lesser Slave River and 40 km from the Town of Smith, where the Lesser Slave River joins the Athabasca River.

The leak has been isolated and the flow has stopped from the pipeline. There were no injuries.

Containment and recovery booms are being deployed from the Town of Slave Lake to control the flow of oil down the Lesser Slave River. All appropriate authorities have been notified including the Town of Smith, which is not utilizing water from the river. ERCB staff responded immediately and in conjunction with Alberta Environment conducted an aerial inspection of segments of the Otauwau, Lesser Slave and Athabasca Rivers.  As is normal practice, the ERCB will conduct an investigation into the incident.

The pipeline failure rate in Alberta was at a record low 2.2 failures per 1000 km of pipeline in 2006, down 30% since 2000 (when there were 3.3 per 1000 km).  There are 392,000 km of ERCB-regulated pipeline in Alberta.

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For more information, please contact:

Davis Sheremata
ERCB Communications
Cell: 403-605-4216

NR2008-08