CALGARY, February 14, 2022 — A service provider contracted by Calgary-based Hawthorne Energy Partners Ltd. carrying 38 cubic meters of an oil-water mixture lost control and overturned on a small bridge about 18 kilometers southeast of Fox Creek, in the Kaybob region of Alberta early Sunday morning, Feb. 13, 2022, spilling much of its contents into a creek that feeds into the Athabasca River. The incident occurred outside of property owned or leased by Hawthorne.
While any possible damage is still being assessed, preliminary testing as of Sunday evening indicates that no oil contamination occurred to the main channel of the Athabasca River and there is minimal risk to downstream water users. No injuries are believed to have resulted from the incident.
As a precautionary measure, Hawthorne is notifying downstream water users. The company has already placed absorbent booms and sandbags on site to contain any oil, and vacuum trucks are being used to recover any spilled product. Soil sampling and surface water sampling and testing are under way.
Minor damage occurred to the bridge and roadblocks are in place to control local traffic. Hawthorne has informed and is working with appropriate authorities, regulators and other stakeholders while the clean-up is under way. The company will continue to provide updates on the situation.
February 15th, 2022
- We can confirm that there were no injuries related to the incident
- 24 hour recovery efforts continue
- The vast majority of free product has been recovered by vacuum truck
- We have submitted communication, containment and mitigation, sampling and monitoring, fish and wildlife management, and waste management plans to the Alberta Energy Regulator for their review
- The company continues to work collaboratively with representatives from the Alberta Energy Regulator, Environment Canada and has made significant progress communicating with downstream stakeholders
- Initial analyses has been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24 hour vacuum truck recovery will continue
- Implementation of various plans that have been submitted to the Alberta Energy Regulator will commence once approval has been received
- The team will evaluate and set a plan for the next phase of response
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 16th, 2022
- 24-hour vacuum truck recovery and clean-up efforts continue
- Of the 38.0m3 of oil-water mixture being transported by the contracted truck, 5.5m3 was recovered from the truck and an additional 27.7m3 of oil has been recovered as of the morning of February 15th
- We incorporated feedback and are awaiting final approval of revised communication, containment and mitigation, sampling and monitoring, fish and wildlife management, and waste management plans from the Alberta Energy Regulator
- The company continues to work collaboratively with representatives from the Alberta Energy Regulator, Environment Canada and continues to communicate with downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour vacuum truck recovery and clean-up efforts will continue
- Implementation of various plans that have been submitted to the Alberta Energy Regulator will commence once approval has been received
- The team will collaborate with the Alberta Energy Regulator on the next phase of response
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 17th, 2022
- 24-hour vacuum truck recovery and clean-up efforts continue
- We received approval from the Alberta Energy Regulator to implement the Company’s communication, containment and mitigation, sampling and monitoring, fish and wildlife management, and waste management plans
- The company continues to work collaboratively with representatives from the Alberta Energy Regulator, Environment Canada and continues to communicate with other agencies and downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour vacuum truck recovery and clean up efforts will continue
- Execution of the approved plans will continue
- The team will review plans for the remedial phase of response with the Alberta Energy Regulator
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 18th, 2022
- 24-hour vacuum truck recovery and clean-up efforts continue
- Due to the significant progress made to date, the Alberta Energy Regulator has downgraded the situation to a Level 1 per the guidelines in AER Directive 71 – Emergency Preparedness and Response Requirements for the Petroleum Industry
- The team presented options for the remedial phase of response to the Alberta Energy Regulator
- We continue to communicate and work collaboratively with representatives from multiple provincial and federal agencies and downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour vacuum truck recovery and clean-up efforts will continue
- Execution of the approved plans will continue
- The team will seek remediation plan approval from the Alberta Energy Regulator
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 19th, 2022
- We will be commencing 24-hour remediation efforts alongside continued vacuum truck recovery
- The team collaborated with the Alberta Energy Regulator and applicable federal agencies to design and approve a Remedial Action Plan for the next phase of response
- The company continues to communicate and work collaboratively with representatives from multiple provincial and federal agencies and downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour remediation efforts will continue
- Execution of the approved plans will continue
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 20th, 2022
- 24-hour efforts continue with the team conducting remediation and reclamation activities, including the removal, disposal and replacement of environmentally impacted materials
- Ongoing assessment and testing continues to confirm that no oil contamination has occurred to the main channel of the Athabasca River and that there is minimal risk to downstream water users
- Due to the significant progress made to-date, the Alberta Energy Regulator has downgraded the situation to Alert, the lowest emergency response status, per the guidelines in AER Directive 71
- The company continues to communicate and work collaboratively with representatives from multiple provincial and federal agencies and downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour remediation efforts will continue
- Execution of the approved plans will continue
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 21st, 2022
- 24-hour efforts continue with the team conducting remediation and reclamation activities, including the removal, disposal and replacement of environmentally impacted materials
- Ongoing assessment and testing continues to confirm that no oil contamination has occurred to the main channel of the Athabasca River and that there is minimal risk to downstream water users
- We have downgraded our corporate risk level of the situation – both Alberta Energy Regulator and internal risk levels are now at Alert, the lowest emergency response status per the guidelines in AER Directive 71
- The company continues to communicate and work collaboratively with representatives from multiple provincial and federal agencies and downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour remediation efforts will continue
- Execution of the approved plans will continue
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans
February 22nd, 2022
- 24-hour efforts continue with the team conducting remediation and reclamation activities, including the removal, disposal and replacement of environmentally impacted materials
- Ongoing assessment and testing continues to confirm that no oil contamination has occurred to the main channel of the Athabasca River and that there is minimal risk to downstream water users
- The company continues to communicate and work collaboratively with representatives from multiple provincial and federal agencies and downstream stakeholders
- Further analyses have been received, interpreted and incorporated into our current response
During the next 24 hours:
- 24-hour remediation efforts will continue
- Execution of the approved plans will continue
- We will continue to monitor and sample multiple points for downstream impact
- Analyses, as received, will be interpreted and incorporated into future response plans