FORT NELSON, B.C. - Crews spent the weekend trying to control a fire burning at an Encana Corporation natural gas well in the extreme northeastern corner of B.C.
Encana spokeswoman Carol Howes said the fire began at around 5:30 a.m Saturday after a blow out during drilling, about 100 kilometres northest of Fort Nelson.
"There was a drilling crew that was immediately evacuated from the site," said Howes.
"We activated our emergency response plan, we notified government authorities and we brought in a well control service equipment company over the weekend to respond to the fire."
She said one person needed first aid at the scene after being slightly hurt and a small amount of sweet gas was released but there are no residents near the remote well, located south of Kotcho Lake, about 700 kilometres north of Prince George.
Encana operations in northeastern B.C. have been hit by six deliberately set blasts since October 2008, although no charges have been laid in those incidents.
Howse said a cause of Saturday's blowout was under investigation by the Alberta-based company and B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission
She expected to have more information following a Monday morning briefing, but said the fire was confined to the well site and the incident appeared to be linked directly to the drilling.
