Forest fire may cause explosion at B.C. oil and gas site
Forest fire may cause explosion at B.C. oil and gas site
10 July 2014
published by www.bnn.ca
Canada — The potential for a serious explosion is increasing as a forest fire in northeastern British Columbia threatens oil and gas wellheads in neighbouring Alberta. Four-hundred workers have been evacuated from an oil and gas work site in the region.
The fire is showing no sign of relenting as dry conditions feed the flames. So far, the fire has grown to 4,000 hectares from 1,700 yesterday afternoon.
One hundred firefighters accompanied by five helicopters and four air tankers have been deployed to the scene about 600 km northwest of Edmonton.
Two oil and gas work sites are located in the area southeast of Tumbler Ridge. However, the operators effected are not yet known. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Apache Corp., Petronas Bhd., Royal Dutch Shell Plc., Conoco Phillips, and Husky Energy Inc. are active in the area according to an analyst who spoke with BNN.
A source has confirmed that at least one energy operators production will be impacted by the blaze.
