Vandals shoot up sour gas facilities in northeastern B.C.

Vandals have hit another sour gas well in northeastern B.C., but the RCMP say they have established no links to several recent explosions at EnCana facilities in the area.

The RCMP's serious crimes unit is investigating after numerous well sites had valves tampered with and shots fired into huts in the Osborne area, northeast of Fort St. John.

The damage at the wells that belong to Iteration Energy and Canadian Natural Resources was discovered Dec. 12 after monitoring equipment indicated something was wrong.

RCMP Const. Jackelynn Passarell said there are no suspects and nothing to suggest someone is targeting the two companies.

There are thousands well sites scattered through northeastern B.C. and vandalism is common, said Passarell. But the RCMP is concerned about these incidents because firearms were involved, she said.

Three sour gas facilities south of nearby Dawson Creek owned by EnCana were rocked by explosives in October after a local newspaper received a letter demanding the company shut the wells down.

Police say so far nobody has been arrested in that investigation.