By Laine Mitchell (Twitter: @Laine_Mitchell)

AER denies request to drill sour oil wells near Rocky Rapids due to public safety concerns

Apr 3, 2018 | 9:49 AM

The Alberta Energy Regulator has ruled that three critical sour oil well applications near the hamlet of Rocky Rapids will not proceed due to public safety concerns. 

The applications to drill sour wells were filed in October 2015 and February 2016 by Bashaw Oil Corp. and were to be located just two kilometres east of Rocky Rapids.

 A hearing was held in December 2017 in Drayton Valley by the AER  to hear the concerns of dozens of landowners as well as Brazeau County regarding the companies applications.

Many landowners testified that they would fear for their safety and that of their family members and animals if the licences were granted, as well as issues with evacuating livestock in the incident of an H2S release.  

The AER determined in their decision last week that Bashaw’s site-specific emergency response plan was incomplete and that the company did not adequately consult with the public and Brazeau County on the project. 

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The regulator also determined that an additional road is needed in this case to ensure that residents can safely evacuate in an emergency.

The regulator added that Bashaw did not provide enough information in its site-specific emergency response plan to demonstrate that it can safely evacuate people in the event of an emergency nor found an alternative to an additional evacuation route.

A critical sour well is a sour gas well that could potentially release large quantities of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), causing significant harm to nearby people.

Rocky Rapids is approximately eight kilometres north of Drayton Valley.