Updated: Workers at a blown Chesapeake Energy Corp. oil well in eastern Wyoming took advantage of changing winds Friday to plug the well with mud and end a powerful, three-day eruption of potentially explosive natural gas.

The operation to stem the air pollution — not to mention risk of an explosion that could destroy a multimillion-dollar drilling rig — began at about 9:30 a.m. By 11 a.m. the flow of gas had stopped, according to Tom Doll

The owner of a out-of-control well venting natural gas at a site in Eastern Wyoming says it’s waiting on the weather to change before starting work to tame the well.

Crews are waiting on favorable weather conditions to begin operations to bring the well near Douglas under control, said Chesapeake Energy Corp. spokeswoman Kelsey Campbell. Local weather data shows Douglas at 75 degrees and partly cloudy with a south wind at 9 mph wind. Campbell told the Star-Tribune the company is waiting for the right wind speed and direction.

The Chesapeake well, located about seven miles northeast of Douglas, blew out Tuesday afternoon as the operator was installing protective steel casing in the well during the drilling process, the company said. MORE …