Canada monitoring Saskatchewan oil spills

CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Federal Canadian regulators said they are standing at attention after reports of an oil pipeline release in Saskatchewan, the second in less than a month.

The Regina (Saskatchewan) Leader-Post reported a third party discovered a minor release, about 630 barrels, from a Crescent Point Energy pipeline in a field. Provincial officials said most of the released product was recovered and the company said there was no possibility of the spill migrating beyond the immediate area.

The regulatory National Energy Board said it took note of two spills in less than a month in the province.

"Both incidents occurred on provincially-regulated pipeline and are not within the National Energy Board's jurisdiction," it said in a statement. "The NEB will continue to monitor both incidents and will apply findings to its own regulatory oversight in the interest of continuous improvement on federally-regulated Canadian pipelines."

The city of Prince Albert, the third largest in the province, partially lifted a water emergency in place since the July spill from the Husky Energy system. Residents are still restricted in irrigation, though businesses can serve potable water.

Work started in Prince Albert almost immediately on new infrastructure to bring water in from alternate sources. In its latest update, the city said the region's water treatment plant was functioning and other options for water were so far working as planned.

According to the Saskatchewan newspaper, there were more than 300 spills associated with energy production so far this year in the province.