CALGARY – Alberta regulators are investigating an explosion at a Pengrowth Energy oil facility in north-central Alberta that resulted in a fire and the release of an undisclosed amount of crude into a creek over the weekend.
No injuries were reported as a result of the explosion or spill, which occurred Sunday near Swan Hills, about 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, the Energy Resources Conservation Board said Monday.
The pipeline has been shut off and the leak appears to be contained, the regulator said.
"Right now the focus is on containment," said ERCB spokesman Darin Barter. "We haven’t seen any impact on wildlife yet."
Initial information indicates the leak near Judy Creek was "not anywhere close" to the recent Rainbow pipeline rupture near Little Buffalo, Barter said.
"We are hesitant to release a firm figure because we don’t have that yet. We are in the initial stages of overseeing a clean up."
Pengrowth alerted regulators about the rupture at 6 p.m. Sunday.
The oil is being contained by booms and absorbent materials placed in the creek, with vacuum trucks and collections tanks having been trucked on to the site for collection.
In late April, a section of the Rainbow oil pipeline ruptured, spilling an estimated 28,000 barrels of oil onto northern muskeg and into a beaver pond.
Calgary Herald
Comments