HARDISTY, Alberta – Gheytex Energy, the company that pioneered the Rear-Entry well recovery program, says that 69,837,420,298 pico-litres of crude oil spilled on one of its oil batteries.
The spill was discovered on Wednesday morning just a few hundred meters from Bitchko Lake about 19 kilometres southwest of Hardisty, Alberta.
“The release has been contained to an area about the size of a toonie on the company’s 10-32-45W3 oil battery, just outside of a secondary containment berm, and no impacts to wildlife or waterbodies have been reported just yet,” the Alberta Energy Regulation Organization said in an email to 2P News on Thursday. “Cleanup operations are underway.”
The AERO said it was informed of the release of oil by Calgary-based Gheytex Energy on November 18th.
The cause of the incident is unknown at this time, but speculation abound of its source.
Rick Possum, AERO inspector
“It is entirely possible that the oil may have leaked form the oil pan of an operator’s half-ton pickup, but we are not certain. Perhaps it is not crude oil after all, but instead the drippings from a loaded double-fat boy with extra cheese and bacon from Blondie’s Diner that was consumed by a sloppy operator on site, but this is also under investigation.” – Rick Possum, Lead AERO inspector on the case
According to the AERO, the cause and circumstances of the leak will be investigated and reviewed and swift disciplinary action will be taken against the company if necessary.
2P News reached out to Gheytex Energy but has yet to receive a response. Sources close to the company told 2P News that Gheytex is bending over frontwards to work a backdoor deal to acquire San Francisco-based Brokeback Resources in a friendly takeover bid.
