News Release March 14, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ENCHANT WELL BLOWOUT HAS BEEN IGNITED

Calgary, Alberta (March 14, 2000) At approximately 9 p.m. on Monday, March 13, 2000 the Crestar Little Bow 2-27-14-18W4 sour gas blowout near Enchant was ignited. This was done in the interests of public safety and to minimize all potential environmental impacts.

Sour natural gas with a hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) content of 0.4% began flowing to atmosphere on Sunday morning, March 12, 2000 after a Crestar Energy drilling operation began experiencing well control problems at a new oil well location in the Little Bow oil field approximately 3 kilometres east and 4 kilometres north of Enchant, Alberta. There were no injuries.

Igniting the flow from the well converts poisonous, odourous H₂S into water vapour and sulphur dioxide (SO₂). The heat from combustion assists in reducing the concentration of all emissions away from the immediate area, due to the "thermal rise" of the heated combustion plume.

The EUB has established a local "emergency operations centre" (EOC) at the Community Centre in Enchant, which is also the site of a voluntary evacuation centre for area residents. Telephone numbers for the EOC and evacuation centre are (403) 739-3936 and 739-2415. Area residents can contact these numbers for more information. These numbers replace the emergency operations information number of 1-800-272-9600 noted in EUB's news release of March 13. Representatives from the Chinook Health Region are available at the EOC and are participating in public health matters.

Ambient air monitoring devices remain in place. Since ignition, ambient monitoring has been unable to detect any H₂S or SO₂. EUB staff arrived on-site Sunday afternoon, and will remain involved until well control is regained. To allow the movement of major equipment and other logistics related to well control operations, site restrictions of approximately 9 square miles around the well are in effect. Transport Canada has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) restricting air traffic in the area for a 3-mile radius around the well to a 5,000 ft. ceiling.

Daily updates will be made available to media and area residents by the EUB until further notice.

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This news release is also available on the EUB Web site at http://www.ercb.ca

For further information please contact:

Greg Gilbertson, EUB Communications
Tel: (403) 739-2415