Blackfeet oil well fire put out, no spill

The March 5 fire at an oil well off Highway 89 on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation did not spread beyond the well site and did not result in a spill, according to David Spotted Eagle Jr., an ordinance coordinator with the tribe’s environmental services offices.

The Flat Iron Well is located between Browning and Kiowa Junction. Firefighters used foam to put out the fire, and an inspection was conducted after the fire was out, Spotted Eagle said.

The fire had burned very hot, and there was no oil on the ground. Water and foam remained and was contained by Anschutz Exploration crews with a berm. The water and foam would be sucked into a disposal truck for removal.

No one was injured in the blaze, which is still under investigation but may have been caused by static electricity.

The fire raised concerns from neighbors. Pauline Matt, who lives about a mile downwind from the well, said she left her home for fear of fumes from the blaze.

She claimed it was poor location for an oil well because if there was a spill, it could pollute nearby streams and a wetland that drain the area.

Spotted Eagle said Anschutz Exploration contacted him about the fire soon after it started. The company planned to fly in a representative from Denver to inspect the site, he said.

“We don’t take these incidents lightly,” said Shawn Lahr, brownfield manager for tribe.