Alberta Wellhead Incident: $215K in Fines for Torch Cutting Gone Wrong
Three parties. Over $215,000 in penalties. One worker seriously injured. All from a routine well abandonment.
What Happened
March 21, 2024. An oil and gas site near Edson, Alberta. A worker was using an oxy-acetylene torch to cut a wellhead casing as part of a well abandonment operation.
The wellhead dislodged. It struck the worker. Serious injuries.
A routine operation turned into an investigation, charges, and six-figure penalties.
Who Paid
Alberta OHS doesn't just go after the company. They go after everyone in the chain:
- Canlin Resources Partnership (site owner): $116,000 - ordered to develop a training program for safe use of oxy-acetylene torch systems
- Ulysses Engineering Inc. (contractor): $75,000 fine plus two years of enhanced regulatory supervision
- Matthew Morris (supervisor): $25,000 fine plus 1.5 years of enhanced regulatory supervision
That last one matters. Personal liability for supervisors is real in Alberta.
The Problem With Hot Work on Wellheads
Torch cutting during well abandonment is inherently dangerous. You're applying extreme heat to equipment that may contain:
- Residual pressure
- Trapped gases
- Corroded or weakened components
- Unknown conditions downhole
When you cut through metal under tension or pressure, things move. Sometimes violently. The worker in this case was in the line of fire when it did.
What Should Have Happened
- Energy isolation verification: Confirm the well is fully depressurized and isolated before cutting begins.
- Structural assessment: Understand what's holding the wellhead in place and what happens when you cut through it.
- Exclusion zones: No one in the potential path of movement during cutting operations.
- Controlled release: Procedures to safely manage component movement as cuts are completed.
The Alberta Difference
Alberta OHS has been increasingly aggressive with personal penalties for supervisors and managers. This isn't just a corporate problem anymore. For more on how OHS regulations are evolving across Canada, see our regulatory update.
The "enhanced regulatory supervision" penalty means these parties will face increased scrutiny on future projects. Inspectors will be watching.
For Your Operation
If you're doing well abandonments, decommissioning work, or any hot work on pressurized or tensioned equipment, a thorough safety program should address these questions:
- Do your workers understand stored energy hazards?
- Are exclusion zones established and enforced during cutting?
- Is there a procedure for controlled release of components?
- Would your supervisors survive personal scrutiny if something went wrong?
Operating in Alberta Oil & Gas?
We help companies develop compliant hot work and well abandonment procedures that protect workers and limit liability.
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