A “meticulous” investigation is underway to determine if a fourth underground gas well exists near the site of the August explosion in Wheatley.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent said after low-level gas readings were detected from soil vapour probes, contractors began hydro-vac trenching and asphalt removal around the exterior of 17 Talbot Road East to determine the source of the emissions.
“The investigation process has been meticulous,” said Thomas Kelly, Chatham-Kent’s general manager of Infrastructure and Engineering Services. “We want to determine whether there is a fourth Area of Potential Environmental Concern (APEC) or if the gas is related to APEC 1, 2 or 3.”
The investigation into the other wells remains ongoing, with contractors moving forward with the re-drilling of the old Tait Well or APEC 2.
Municipal officials said crews are still trying to determine the source and pathways of the hydrogen sulphide gas that caused the explosion in downtown Wheatley on August 26. Investigators are also continuing to analyze gas and water samples taken from monitoring wells late last month.