DEH CHO - A month after it occurred the size of Enbridge Pipelines Inc.'s oil spill is now estimated at between 700 and 1,500 barrels.

When clean-up efforts began at Enbridge Pipelines Inc.'s spill site in May, an area had to be cleared for vehicle access. Approximately one acre is now estimated to be affected by the spill. - photo courtesy of Enbridge Pipelines Inc.

When the leak from Enbridge's line that runs from Norman Wells to Zama, Alta. was discovered on May 9, the company originally estimated four barrels of sweet crude oil had escaped. The early estimate was based on the oil that could been seen on the surface of the site located approximately 50 kilometres south of Wrigley, said Leon Zupan, the senior vice-president of operations with Enbridge.

While conducting drilling to determine how far the oil had moved below the surface the company realized there was more oil than four barrels. Normally in the case of a spill like this one, the oil would migrate to the surface, Zupan said.

Because of a layer of frozen ground at the site the bulk of the oil remained trapped below ground, he said.

"It's rather unique for this small amount to come to the surface and the large amount to remain underground," Zupan said.

After the assessment program was finished, third party experts at the site estimated the spill could be between 700 to 1,500 barrels with approximately one acre of land affected. The company is bringing in a truck-mounted drilling unit to do further assessments that will narrow down the estimated size of the spill.

As of June 6, Enbridge had recovered approximately 100 barrels of oil. The goal, as with any spill, is to remove all of the oil and contaminated material, he said.

The company is putting together a full environmental assessment and remediation plan that will be filed with regulators. When it's approved it will include digging trenches to ensure the oil doesn't leave the affected area and then removing the oil and contaminated material. The material will be taken to an approved waste disposal site, Zupan said.

Once all of the contaminated material is removed, the area will be backfilled and natural vegetation will be reseeded on top of it.

Enbridge's goal is to have the remediation completed this year but because of the short growing season the area may be reseeded next spring, he said.

The cause of the leak is still unknown and remains under investigation. There was external evidence on the pipeline of a "crack-like anomaly," Zupan said. He wouldn't speculate on what caused it to occur.

Enbridge will be running a full crack inspection on the entire pipeline to see if there are any other incidents that haven't risen to the surface.

Chief Tim Lennie of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation is not impressed by Enbridge's response to the spill.

Lennie, who was part of the group that discovered the leak, said he has speculated from the beginning that the spill was much larger than the company had announced.

"How does a person react?" he asked.

"It's just frustration, anger."

Lennie said the community can do nothing but stand by, watch and speculate about the consequences of the spill. Residents have a lot of concerns about the environment and the effects of the spill on water, animals and human health. So far no answers have been forthcoming, he said.

The band had to ask Enbridge to come talk to the community after the spill and since then they haven't been back, he said.

"It's more frustration," said Lennie.

"It's not really building any good relationships with myself and my people."

Lennie said he believes contaminants have already entered the water system and that people down river from the spill will be affected. He's also certain that he ate a duck that was contaminated by the spill.

"It's a catastrophe," Lennie said about the scope of the incident.

Lennie said the band is planning a reaction to the spill, possibly a legal one. It's taking time to apply for funding and do the appropriate research, he said.

The band will also be pushing for independent testing, particularly of the water, to be done at the spill site. Right now everything is being left up to Enbridge, he said.

Lennie said his primary concern overall is to ensure the spill is cleaned up properly.

Enbridge maintains that no moving water, including Willowlake River, has been affected by the spill.

Monitoring wells have been dug to monitor the water table and check that no dissolved contamination is leaving the site. The wells will be checked both during and after the clean-up efforts, said Zupan.

"It's a very good concern and it's a valid one; it's one we take very seriously," he said.

Enbridge is also planning to hold a second community meeting within the next few weeks in Wrigley once more details have been settled about the remediation plan.

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