EnCana plugs gas leak from 3rd B.C. explosion

Residents of Dawson Creek in northeasternB.C. are breathing easier after the EnCana Corporation managed to stop a small natural gas leak on Sunday evening by injecting cement intoa well.

A crew from EnCana managed toseal the leak from the well bore on Sunday eveningby injecting cement into the well, the company said.

The leak was caused by an explosion on Thursdaynight but was not discovered until Friday around noon.

The volume of natural gas leaking from the well was very small and the well contained only trace amounts of sour gas, so it did not present a risk to field workers or area residents, the company said.

The well site hasbeen turned over to the RCMP, which is also investigating two explosions on pipelines in the region last month.

Many people in the area believe the explosions may be linked to a threatening letter sent to a local newspaper demanding companies operating sour gas wells and pipelines in the area stop their operations.

Residents of the region have expressed widespread concerns about the health effects of the operations.

Sour gas, is natural gas that contains hydrogen sulfide, making it fatally poisonous, above certain concentrations.