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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEANUP AND INVESTIGATION CONTINUING AFTER PIPELINE FAILURE NEAR SLAVE LAKE

Calgary, Alberta (October 12, 2006) Staff from the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) continue to monitor cleanup efforts following a light crude oil leak which occurred on October 10 at a Rainbow Pipe Line Company Ltd. pipeline, located 20 km southeast of Slave Lake.

About 50 workers are on site assisting with the containment and recovery operations involving approximately 1,260 barrels (200 cubic metres) of crude oil which leaked from a 24-inch pipeline. Booms and an inverted weir have been installed to keep the oil from moving any further along a small creek in the area. Global positioning systems are being used to identify the exact areas where the oil is located while skimmers, pump trucks and vacuum trucks are being used to recover the oil and transport it to a waste treatment facility.

Approximately 930 barrels (150 cubic metres) of oil has now been recovered. Cleanup will continue until all the free oil has been recovered, at which time reclamation of the site will begin under the direction of Alberta Environment.

The EUB will continue to monitor the cleanup. An investigation is underway into the cause of the incident.

There were no injuries as a result of the leak, the release did not result in a fire, no evacuations were necessary and there was no danger to the public.

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:
Darin Barter, EUB Communications
Tel: (403) 651-9487
Email: darin.barter@gov.ab.ca

NR2006-41