P From the Wall Street Journal. There is no hiding it now from anybody! Canada’s largest independent oil producer has been unable to stop a series of leaks from underground wells, according to regulators in Alberta, raising questions about a technology the industry has championed as less environmentally disruptive than the open-pit mining of oil sands. Four separate leaks, the first of which was reported on May 20, comprise the equivalent of 175 barrels of oil and spread over at least 100 acres on the grounds of a Canadian air-force base in northeastern Alberta, according to preliminary figures from the chief provincial regulatory body and its environment ministry. While the amount of oil is relatively small, it has contaminated a vast area of boreal forest, including killing some wildlife. It also represents a relatively rare case in which a producer hasn’t been able to immediately identify the cause of a leak and correct it, drawing special scrutiny from regulators and environmentalists. “We don’t know when they’re going to get control of it,” said Alberta Energy Regulator spokesman Bob Curran. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., or CNRL, the operator of the troubled well sites in Northeastern Alberta, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Last month, the company issued a statement saying it had “secured” the area affected and begun cleanup and recovery activities.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 21:10:35 +0000
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