To+the+Drilling+Staff

April 12, 1948

Atlantic Oil Company Well No. 3, Leduc County Alberta, Canada T4X OJ6

Dear Drilling Staff:

As you all know, we have encountered a major blow in Well No. 3 on the day of March 8due to the lack of precautions taken by our engineering crew. The drilling supervisor advised our drilling team not to continue drilling during a meeting on March 6, but the engineering crew deemed it had been safe to continue. On the day of March 8, oil began to flow out of the well at an approximate rate of 15,000 barrels per day.

We began to take immediate action to try to control the well as winds began to carry the spewing oil up to three miles away from our drilling site. Dykes and pits have been established to help bear the masses of oil, and trucks arrived regularly to take the viable oil away. We have taken the unprecedented attempts to stop the flow of oil, through the means of inserting many different substances into the well including:


 * Drilling mud
 * Ten thousand bags of cement
 * A quarter ton of chicken feathers
 * Cotton seed hulls
 * Sawdust
 * Mud lime
 * Redwood fire insulation
 * Sugar beet pulp
 * Blankets wrapped in chicken wire

All these attempts have failed to subdue the flow of the oil, yet led to the loss of underground circulation. The well made its final underground rupture, and total collapse, com-busting the oil in the process. Currently, the flames have reached approximately 150 meters high, leaving the rig in the crater and the entire quarter section in afire. An additional oil company has come to our aid to help control the well by drilling additional relief wells in the south and west to store accumulating oil. No lives have been lost, and the head of our operation believes the well should be under control within the upcoming period.

This tragedy brings the hope that all engineers and other workers will take the greatest precautions upon drilling wells in the future. We hope that by keeping you fully up to date on our latest situation, you will be well prepared in the event that any problems may occur on your drilling site. I cannot emphasize how important it is to be especially carefully and not to overlook what may seem like minor complications.

Cordially yours,

--- Alexandra Martin Site Engineer Well No. 3, Leduc County Alberta Canada T4X OJ6

--- Aquileidy Perez Site Engineer Well No. 3, Leduc County Alberta Canada T4X OJ6

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Cynthia Swiderski Site Engineer Well No. 3, Leduc County Alberta Canada T4X OJ6