April 22, 2014 - 11:06 AM
EDMONTON - Environmentalists are protesting a decision to allow an oilsands company to resume operations near where it is still trying to fix persistent bitumen leaks.
Last Thursday, Alberta's energy regulator approved Canadian Natural Resources Limited's request to resume steaming bitumen from wells in its Cold Lake operations that are near where ongoing leaks have been releasing bitumen since last summer.
The regulator says the steaming can't be closer than one kilometre from the leaks and must be conducted at low pressure.
But Greenpeace spokesman Mike Hudema says the regulator should reverse its decision until its investigation into CNRL's four leaks in the area is complete and the seepage of bitumen into a local lake is stopped.
Hudema says the approval shows the regulator is more attentive to corporate profits than public health.
The regulator says CNRL (TSX:CNQ) must step up its monitoring of wells and check all other wells in the area to ensure that more steam won't cause them to leak.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014