CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NuVista Energy Ltd. is responding to a produced salt water leak on a pipeline in northwest Alberta, 70 kilometres south of Grande Prairie.
The produced water disposal pipeline has been shut down and isolated. There have been no injuries. The pipeline runs from NuVista’s gas facility in the Bilbo field to a nearby water disposal well. Produced water is a by-product of oil and gas production.
On the morning of Monday September 9, operations staff at the facility identified a possible leak based on our pipeline leak monitoring and detection system. The pipeline was immediately shut down and NuVista activated our Emergency Response Plan. The leak is located where the pipeline runs underground near the centre of the facility. The Alberta Energy Regulator and local stakeholders were notified.
“Our top priority is to ensure the safety of people, protection of the environment, and fish and wildlife,” said Jonathan Wright, NuVista Energy President and CEO. “We will ensure a full and proper cleanup and will investigate to ensure learnings and to avoid any recurrence.”
NuVista has engaged Alberta-based North Shore Environmental Consultants Inc. to provide technical support for spill response, remediation and environmental assessment activities. Initial information suggests a release volume of approximately 500m3. This produced water primarily came to surface at the facility and a portion of it mixed with rainwater and migrated offsite along a ditch and low-lying area north of the facility. Preliminary results suggest the spill has covered portions of an area approximately 400 metres by 600 metres. Personnel and equipment are now working to skim off any contaminated fluid for safe offsite disposal.
The cause of the leak has not yet been determined. NuVista Energy is cooperating with the AER and local stakeholders, and has initiated an investigation to determine the cause.
About NuVista Energy
NuVista (TSX -NVA.TO) is an oil and natural gas company actively engaged in the exploration for, and the development and production of, oil and natural gas reserves in Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. NuVista’s primary focus is on the scalable and repeatable condensate-rich Montney formation in the Wapiti area of the Alberta Deep Basin.
Media Contact
Mario Toneguzzi, Peak Communicators
403- 403-483-1742
mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com
