Explosion at upgrader site doesn’t impact Fort McKay

An explosion at a Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. upgrader 20 km from Fort McKay First Nation is reason for worry, said Jeff Winsor.

“We do have some concern considering Fort McKay is in the middle of an industrial area, instances like these are going to happen from time to time. We will wait and see what an investigation says,” said Winsor, chief operating officer for the Fort McKay First Nation.

The explosion and resultant fire at the CNRL Horizon site occurred on the afternoon of Jan. 6 and injured five workers.  Alberta Occupational Health and Safety issued a stop-work order and are investigating the incident.
Winsor said that he was in Fort McKay when the explosion occurred and although he never felt it, he has heard second and third hand reports that it was felt by others. A smoke cloud was visible but dissipated after an hour.

The First Nation was contacted by CNRL officials within five to 10 minutes of the 3:30 p.m. explosion, said Winsor.

“There was constant communication through the evening, the next day and subsequent days,” he said.
The initial contact from CNRL caused Fort McKay First Nation to “go into quasi-emergency preparedness plan” protocol with chief and council notified immediately and senior administrator and fire chief doing constant monitoring with CNRL.

Fort McKay deployed its air canister monitoring, the results of which have not yet been received. As well, air monitoring sites operated by the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association were monitored in real time and indicated that air quality was within normal limits and there were no breathing issues.

Fort McKay First Nation does not have a mutual aid agreement with CNRL so its fire department was not deployed to help at the Horizon site. The First Nation has a mutual aid agreement with the Municipality of Wood Buffalo and could have been called into action if CNRL required Wood Buffalo’s fire services.

Winsor said chief and council were awaiting the results of the investigation.

“It appears right now that it was an accident. We’re having conversations with Canadian Natural, getting updates to the progress of the investigation,” said Winsor.

In a news release issued by CNRL on Jan. 10, CNRL stated the company was working with OH&S to determine the cause of the incident. At least two coke drums were damaged, with the majority of damage contained in one area. CNRL stated procurement for the damaged components had begun and the Horizon plant “could be started up in a shorter time frame allowing (it) to run at production rates roughly half of target capability until the repairs to the other coke drums, cutting deck and derrick infrastructure is completed.”