Delta petroleum will resume drilling Friday or Saturday

Delta Petroleum plans to resume drilling Friday or Saturday at its natural gas exploration well near Bickleton, company officials said.

The well has been quiet since July 25 when a flash fire sent four workers to the hospital and damaged equipment.

In a conference call this morning, Delta CEO Roger Parker told investors during the second quarter company earnings report that drilling would resume today or tomorrow.

"We should be back to drilling in the next day or so," he said.

The four injured workers had injuries that were "not life threatening," Parker said.

Broc Richardson, investor relations supervisor, would not elaborate on conditions in a follow-up phone call. However, the four men have been replaced.

He also said the well will begin drilling within 48 hours of the conference call.

The company began drilling at the well, located on leased ranch land 12 miles southeast of Bickleton, in May. The brief fire happened when natural gas rushed up the hole just as the workers were removing the drill bit, said Ron Teissere, the state's oil and gas supervisor.

Contracted employees at the site told the Yakima Herald-Republic at the time that one worker broke his leg jumping off the derrick floor trying to escape the flames. He was transferred to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland. The rest suffered burns and were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The state Department of Labor and Industries and company officials are investigating the accident.