Cenovus Energy says it’s safely stopped the steam leak at its Rush Lake 2 thermal facility near Paynton, Sask.
The company provided the latest update on July 31, noting workers successfully stopped the leak.
“With the well now under control, we continue to perform completion activities to fully isolate the well and are preparing for cleanup and remediation of the site,” stated Cenovus.
“As of July 17, the vapour release that had produced odours in the region has been eliminated.”
Read more: Full Rush Lake coverage
The leak began around May 9 when steam from a failed injection well casing surfaced near the facility. The site released vapour clouds with strong odours, affecting rural homes and farms in the area.
Cenovus worked to reduce pressure and contain fluids and crews built berms and injected water before shutting in 15 of the 16 wells on the pad. The company also brought in a drilling rig in late June to assist.
Ministry response:
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources confirmed the well contributing to the surface release has been brought under control and abandonment work is ongoing.
“As the provincial oil and gas regulator, the Ministry of Energy and Resources confirms Cenovus has made significant progress in addressing the surface release at its Rush Lake thermal facility in the R.M. of Paynton,” said the ministry in a statement.
The ministry will continue to monitor air quality in the region throughout the abandonment process. They will also provide oversight of the continuing work.
“Air quality data submitted to the ministry by Cenovus, and verified by the ministry’s air quality measurements, continues to show no risk to public health,” said the ministry.
Since the initial leak, residents in the area raised concerns about possible exposure to hydrogen sulphide and benzene. Some said they experienced headaches and nausea. The province has yet to release air-quality data to the public.
The ministry will launch its own investigation once the well is fully isolated from the reservoir. It will assess Cenovus’ environmental remediation plans and require the company to submit a full report explaining the cause of the incident and outline steps to prevent it from happening again.
“The Ministry of Energy and Resources will continue to prioritize the safety of the public and the environment as we oversee and review the response to this incident,” the ministry said.
Cenovus’ promise
Cenovus said it regrets the impact on people living nearby.
“The complexity of the response led to the duration of the incident and the odours, which we know adversely impacted our neighbours,” said Cenovus in a statement. “We sincerely apologize for this and we’ll continue to communicate with the people and communities to provide updates as new information becomes available.”
The company promised lessons learned from the incident would shape future safety practices.
“Cenovus is committed to continuous improvement. What we learn from this incident investigation will assist us in further enhancing overall safety and performance at our thermal operations.”
Read more: VIDEO: Rush Lake leak “reduced” in latest update
