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Worker injured at Devon drill site

Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Mar 17/03) - Drilling operations at Devon Canada's natural gas exploration site near Inuvik temporarily ceased Feb. 26 when an employee became trapped against the drill pipe.

The accident occurred about 5:30 p.m. on the Itiginkpak F-29 well, located on the Napartok structure, about 71 kilometres east of Inuvik.

The 19-year-old male employee was injured while connecting the drill pipe.

"And a wire connection to the tongs used to keep the pipe together trapped him against the drill pipe," said Devon Canada's vice-president of operations Kevin Stashin.

Employees administered first aid on site and the worker was later transported to Inuvik Regional Hospital.

"Last night we were informed by the hospital that the injured worker had no serious injuries, no internal bleeding, but they decided to keep him in hospital for further observation," he said.

Drilling operations resumed upon approval by the National Energy Board later that evening.

Representatives of Devon Canada and the NEB attended the work site the following morning to conduct a detailed investigation of the incident.