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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EUB ISSUES DECISION ON HIGHPINE SOUR OIL WELL APPLICATIONS
 
Calgary, Alberta (March 6, 2008) The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) has issued Decision 2008-018, which grants approval for Highpine Oil & Gas Limited to drill two sour crude oil wells near Rocky Rapids. 

In its decision, the EUB expects Highpine to fulfill six commitments the company made during the eight-day hearing held between September 27 and December 7, 2007 in Drayton Valley and Lodgepole. The company has committed to:

• Not flare more than eight hours in total for each well.
   
• Maintain roads in the emergency planning zones (EPZs) to ensure that they remain passable during critical sour operations.
   
• Suspend operations if any roads inside the EPZs are unable to be made passable.
  
• Lead one full-scale emergency response exercise every year.
   
• Update its emergency response plans, including all resident information, and submit those updates to the EUB for review.
  
• Ignite an uncontrolled release within 15 minutes of sour gas reaching surface.

Effective January 1, 2008, the EUB was replaced by the Energy Resources Conservation Board and the Alberta Utilities Commission. As Highpine’s applications were considered prior to January 1, 2008 by the EUB, Decision 2008-018 is being issued by the EUB.

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This decision can be found at www.ercb.ca

For more information, please contact:
Darin Barter, ERCB Communications
Phone: 403-397-4116 
Cell: 403-681-0946 
Email: darin.barter@ercb.ca

NR 2008-03