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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Regional Emergency Operations Centre Moving Forward with Next Steps to Stop Blowout
St. Albert, Alberta (December 16, 2004) The Alberta governments Regional Emergency Operations Centre, led by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB), is moving forward with the next steps to control the blowout on an Acclaim Energy Trust oil well west of Edmonton. The Regional Emergency Operations Centre also includes Capital Health, government agencies, well control experts and Acclaim Energy Trust.
The Acclaim blowout is very complex and the Regional Emergency Operations Centre team is working to ensure that attempts to control the well are done safely, responsibly and with complete regard for the publics health and safety. The team is actively pursuing several options to gain control of the well, but given the high complexity of the blowout, the well might continue to leak for several weeks.
The team also wants the public to be aware that the well has been deliberately ignited in order to burn the sour gas emitting from the well, thereby reducing hydrogen sulphide (H2S) levels and odors in the surrounding area. As well-control efforts continue, the well may be extinguished and lit again as required. Every effort will be made to provide notice should the well be extinguished or reignited in the future.
Eight stationary and five mobile monitoring trucks continue to take air quality measurements in the surrounding area. Their readings indicate an extremely low potential threat to public health and safety, as H2S levels have averaged from 0.0 to 0.005 parts per million during the day. Ten parts per million is the occupational limit allowable for eight hours of exposure to H2S.
The cause of the blowout at the well is not known at this time. Once the blowout has been controlled, the EUB will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
Residents are encouraged to contact the Capital Health Authority (780) 408-5465, or the Regional Emergency Operations Centre (780) 460-3800, located in St. Albert, if they have any concerns.
Public safety is the Regional Emergency Operations Centre teams number one priority and the current threat to the publics health and safety continues to be extremely low.
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For more information, please contact:
Bob Curran
EUB Communications
Cell: (403) 660-5553
Email: bob.curran@gov.ab.ca
NR2004-32
