News Release June 13, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUR WELL BLOWOUT IN SHEKILIE AREA NORTHWEST OF ZAMA LAKE

Calgary, Alberta (June 13, 2001) The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) has responded to a sour gas well blowout in the Shekilie region west of the Zama Lake oil field. Late Monday afternoon, June 11, 2001 an Alberta Forestry fire look-out reported seeing a plume of undetermined origin, and notified the Grande Prairie EUB Field Centre. Upon investigation by the well operator, Barrington Petroleum Ltd. of Calgary, it was determined that sour natural gas containing approximately two to eight per cent hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) was escaping from a well that had been drilled in 1983 and then suspended in 1984. The well (5-31-116-10W6) is in a remote, unpopulated region approximately 32 kilometres northwest of Zama Lake. There are no injuries to anyone.

EUB staff arrived on-site Tuesday afternoon, and will remain actively involved in this incident until well control is regained. Alberta Environment and all other appropriate agencies were also advised of the incident.

Currently, EUB staff, company staff and well control specialists are on site. The site is in muskeg terrain with approximately a foot of water on the lease. There are no access roads. Well control personnel and equipment are being flown to the site by helicopter. The well is not on fire, however a determination will be made as to igniting the well if necessary. An EUB Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is being established in High Level. In the meantime, public and media inquiries may be made through the EUB telephone numbers below or via the Government Emergency Operations Centre (GEOC) in Edmonton at 1-800-272-9600. GEOC will remain open until the High Level EOC is established.

The EUB as the lead emergency response agency is coordinating any necessary government response to support regaining well control. There are no current estimates available as to when this may occur.

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

For further information please contact:

NR 2001-13