As BP struggles to get its oil spill under control in the Gulf of Mexico, some B.C. residents are up in arms over the company's plans to drill here at home.

The Canadian arm of the petroleum giant has confirmed that it would begin work on a natural gas test well in the East Kootenays next month.

Opponents to the project are doing their best to exploit concerns about the Gulf situation to stop BP's plans for B.C. They've posted a video on YouTube claiming the company has already broken ground at the Mist Mountain coal-bed gas project near Sparwood.

Robyn Duncan of the environmental group Wildsight told CTV News that the Gulf spill isn't the only reason to protest BP's planned project.

"Though BP doesn't have a very good environmental track record, we would be just as concerned if it was any other company in there doing coal-bed methane," she said.

BP describes its work in the region as preparatory -- part of a five-year assessment of the natural gas potential in an area measuring 300 square kilometers.

Energy Minister Bill Bennett is also attempting to put a cap on public fear.

"I appreciate the concern, especially about this particular company, but in terms of whether our region is going to be exposed to some kind of major environmental risk -- not happening," Bennett said.

The province awarded tenure to BP Canada for the project in December, despite objections from conservationists, First Nations and Fernie town council.

Duncan maintains that the project was approved too quickly.

"This project proceeding with such a large footprint and impact on the landscape, without a proper environmental assessment process, without proper public consultation -- all of these things need to take place," she said.

But the provincial government disagrees.

"The company's been in the area doing environmental baseline studies for at least three years, if not longer. They are proposing to drill one hole for gas -- not oil, but gas. That impact on the environment is akin to about five minutes of logging or maybe five minutes of coal mining -- both of which we have in this region," Bennett said.

And BP says it is proceeding with the assessment in an environmentally responsible manner. If Mist Mountain goes ahead, it would be at least two years before full-scale drilling begins.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Mike Killeen