Wheatley investigation making slow progress

WHEATLEY — The most recent updates out of Wheatley indicate some slow progress and new realizations are taking place in the evacuation area.

As families and businesses are finding their way back into their buildings for a one-hour assessment and valuables expedition, experts are still attending to the blast site, with demolition and removal of hydro lines set to begin this week.

It is expected by the end of this week that the MJ’s Pizza building, Wheatley Hotel and what remains of The Pogue will be razed and excavated.

Chatham-Kent issued their latest media update on Friday, December 3.

Three Areas of Potential Environmental Concern (APEC) have been identified. APEC 1 is the area near The Pogue and Wheatley Hotel. APEC 2 is the reported location of the abandoned Tait Well (Well 000981), which was located using ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic geophysical surveying. APEC 3 is a vent on the northwest corner of the municipal parking lot near Elm Street.

Analysis of the gas samples taken from APEC 1 and APEC 2 indicates the gas source closely matches gas from a producing natural gas well in the region.

To date, H2S (hydrogen sulphide) has been detected near APEC 1 during gas leak events and was accompanied by flowing water. It was also detected in extremely low concentrations near APEC 2 immediately following the latest gas leak event on November 21.

The source of H2S may be related to an unidentified gas source (thermogenic) from depth. It is also possible that the H2S is biogenic in nature and is generated from stagnant water close to surface mixing with gas that is migrating along a subsurface pathway.

The goal for the next phase of the investigation is to confirm if a lateral pathway exists between APEC 1 and 2 and to confirm whether there are any other sources of gas.