Ovintiv Canada fined $20K for gas spill southeast of Dawson Creek

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Ovintiv Canada was fined $20,000 last month for a hydrocarbon spill at one of their wells in the Briar Ridge area in 2021.

According to the BC Energy Regulator, on November 19th, 2021, the well in question released pressurized fluids during a workover operation, releasing gas.

Ovintiv told the regulator a hydrate formation caused the release due to a casing valve being left in a partially open position prior to the date of the incident.

In a report from Patrick Smook, the regulator’s executive director of responsible development, he described the issues resulting from the spill and the sections of the Energy Resource Activities Act and Emergency Management Regulation that may have been violated.

Smook came to his findings by reviewing the response provided by Ovintiv.

The executive director said he believes Ovintiv failed to prevent spillage — something the company acknowledges in its response.

Ovintiv states workers had difficulty opening and closing the valve on November 19th, 2021, which resulted in the handle breaking.

The valve was believed to be closed when it was blocked open by a hydrate.

When workers attempted the planned operation using a different valve, the hydrate was released, and the spillage occurred.

Smook stated that Ovintiv should have ensured all equipment was in working order before continuing the operation.

“I note that Ovintiv has a policy that prohibits the use of damaged or inoperable equipment,” Smook wrote in his report. “Adherence to this policy likely would have prevented the incident.”

He said Ovintiv did not take all reasonable steps to prevent the spillage.

Smook reviewed the response to decide if Ovintiv reported the spillage to the BC Energy Regulator within one hour of the incident.

A regulator compliance and enforcement officer arrived at the site within the hour and was informed of what had happened, which Smook deemed counted as a report, as the Emergency Management Regulation does not specify how the report must be given.

Smook also said Ovintiv did not inform the regulator before “standing down” the emergency response and did not notify area residents of the spillage.

Though dangerous gas levels were not detected off the well site and no physical harm was done, the incident still alarmed residents.

Smook wrote that Ovintiv has implemented measures to prevent the re-occurrence of the contraventions noted, such as reviewing several policies, including that inoperable equipment must be “identified, recorded, isolated and taken out of service until made safe to use.”

Ovintiv has also updated its post-incident communication procedures so area residents are promptly informed.

Ovintiv was fined $20,000 on November 24th, 2023.

The full report from Smook can be viewed below: