A fire erupted at a well site northwest of Airdrie on Monday, injuring five workers; has been extinguished. According to an early update on Wednesday from HWN Energy Ltd., the well was brought under control yesterday evening at approximately 5:30 p.m.
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"Following consultations with industry experts, HWN finalized and implemented a well control plan which was reviewed by regulatory agencies. By early afternoon, the fire was extinguished, and the well was brought under control. As of approximately 5:30 p.m. MST, the well has been fully contained with no further release of liquids or gases," the company stated on its website.
They added that they continue to monitor the well, with air quality monitors actively assessing the area. "At present, all readings indicate no air quality concerns," HWN Energy said.
The company will not further comment on their condition despite confirming earlier reports of five injured contractor personnel.
"Our thoughts are with the workers and their families. We understand the local community's concerns, and we want to assure the public that we are taking every possible measure to manage this incident effectively."
HWN Energy emphasized its commitment to cooperating with ongoing investigations by Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).
"To respect the process of these investigations, HWN will not be releasing any comment on the cause of this incident until these investigations have been completed."
The company confirmed the "well control incident," eight kilometres north of Cochrane on Monday afternoon.
"As a precautionary measure, we have evacuated non-essential personnel from the immediate area and established an exclusion zone around the site. We are in close communication with local authorities, and all necessary regulatory bodies have been informed," an early release stated.
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) also commented on the incident.
"Our top priority during an incident is to ensure that companies take swift and effective action to protect public safety and the environment," officials said.
"We are currently monitoring HWN Energy's response to a release of sweet gas and a fire approximately eight kilometres north of Cochrane. Roadblocks have been established to safeguard the public and facilitate ongoing emergency operations. AER staff are at the site assessing the situation and evaluating the ongoing response efforts," AER stated.
According to HWN Energy’s website, the business is "an oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Central and Northern Alberta." They noted, "We are actively growing, both through the development of our current asset base and through the potential acquisition of additional properties in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin." HWN operates in Canada through its wholly-owned subsidiary, HWN Energy, Ltd.
AER further stated that they will maintain an on-site presence and continue communicating with HWN to ensure public safety, environmental protection, and compliance with all regulatory requirements. "Emergency response teams and local authorities, including Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), are at the site," AER concluded.
In an emailed statement, provincial officials provided limited information due to OHS's active investigation.
"It is always tragic when workers are hurt or die on the job. Our government aims to have all workers return home safely after every workday. OHS is investigating an explosion at an oil and gas site near Cochrane that occurred on September 30. At least five workers were injured. As this is an active investigation, no further information will be provided by OHS at this time," the statement read.
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