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Alberta gas well blowout still not capped: Encana

A normal gas flare underway at a well in the North Sea.

FOX CREEK, Alta. — Workers in northwestern Alberta were still fighting Wednesday to control a blowout at a well that has been venting natural gas and small amounts of a toxic chemical.

A spokesman for well owner Encana (TSX:ECA) said crews were opening a second route to the site, located 18 kilometres from the community of Fox Creek.

Jay Averill said that would give crews more room to work and let them onto the site more efficiently.

Averill said monitoring data showed low levels of poisonous hydrogen sulphide have been released since the well blew Monday, but they are well beneath those that would pose a health risk.

He says the well passes through a zone containing the toxin, but is intended to draw gas from a zone free of it.

The province's energy regulator says waterways or wildlife have not been affected.

The Canadian Press

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