Blast hits British Columbia natural gas facility

Source:  Las Vegas Sun

An explosion at a natural gas facility in northeastern British Columbia forced the site to shut down,in what appeared to be the fourth attack in four months on one of Canada’s largest energy companies.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said EnCana gas line workers discovered a damaged metering shed on Sunday at a wellhead near the community of Tomslake.

The blasts put a spotlight on local concerns over the rapid growth of the industry in the region, particularly projects involving sour gas, which contains the potentially deadly chemical hydrogen sulfide.

Investigators say the latest explosion resembles three blasts in October at Encana operations in the same northeastern British Columbia area, about 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) northeast of Vancouver.

No one has been injured in any of the explosions.

Overall pipeline production in the area continued after the latest blast, but the specific site has been closed down, EnCana spokesman Alan Boras said. He said there was no leak or danger to the public.

“It’s a very serious situation,” he said. “We would like to see it stopped.”

The first explosion, in October, was preceded by a letter that called oil and gas companies, and EnCana in particular, “terrorists” and demanded an immediate halt to operations.

Police believe whoever is behind the attacks is from the local area and has a grievance with EnCana. Boras said security has been increased and the company is asking whoever is behind the blasts to come forward.

British Columbia has more than 4,000 producing oil and gas wells, all in the northeastern part of the province, and the industry has expanded in recent years.

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