Caledonia Courier Wednesday, November 21, 2012
www.caledoniacourier.com A7
Northern Gateway will be one of the safest energy pipelines because it’s been designed by engineers, safety experts and the people of British Columbia.
Our every intention is to ma make ke the North ther ern n Ga Gate tewa way y Pi Pipe peli line ne the str tron ngest st and safestt of its kin nd in Can anad ada. ad a. And the people o of British Columbia have told us that we must exceed safety standards if it is to cross this beautiful province. We’ve heard their concerns and have continually incorporated their feedback into our plans. We have added $500 million in extra safety measures–like thicker pipe, more isolation valves, meticulous pipeline construction techniques, and plans for around the clock monitoring by real people, in real time, with sophisticated technology.
We will use thicker pipe...
We will have advanced monitoring and response systems...
Northern Gateway pipe will have
Constant, diligent monitoring is vital for safe pipeline operation. Northern
an average thickness of 0.80 inches.
Gateway will be monitored on-site and via the control centre 24/7, in
That’s 20% over and above current
real time to allow operators to rapidly respond to any incidents. As
Canadian safety standard requirements
well, extensive geotechnical investigation and route planning
for the Northern Gateway Project. The pipe
has taken place and this, combined with sophisticated
will be even thicker when it crosses major rivers and tributaries.
monitoring techniques, will provide protection against
It will be welded with exacting precision and its integrity checked
geotechnical and other natural hazards. Pump stations in
using ultrasonic inspection and hydrostatic testing methods. And
remote areas will be staffed around the
to ensure safe operation, the frequency of high resolution, in-line
clock. Dual leak detection systems
inspection surveys will be increased across the entire pipeline system
will be installed and remotely
by a minimum of 50% over and above current practices.
operated isolation valves will be used, increasing their number in BC by 50%.
We will respect wildlife habitats and migration routes... To address concerns from the public that the construction of the pipeline will affect the
We will practice and be prepared for incidents...
environment, we have pledged to build it in such a way that natural wildlife habitats,
Our goal is always zero spills. To help achieve that, the
migration routes and fish spawning sites will be respected. During the building phase,
pipeline will be monitored from the air and the ground and
disturbances will be kept to a minimum by having construction vehicles access most of
routinely inspected inside and out to identify and address
the pipeline using existing forestry roads. Instead of building all new bridge structures, it
any integrity issues. But that doesn’t mean we will not
will use existing watercourse crossings where possible. When construction is completed
prepare for an incident. We will adhere to world-leading
on each section, soil will be returned and shrubs and grasses native to the region will be
practices for oil spill response and recovery systems. Emergency response equipment
planted. If any large trees are removed to make way for the pipeline, a new tree will be
and training will be provided and constantly updated and upgraded. Training exercises
planted in another location as part of Enbridge’s commitment to plant a tree for every
with our own operations personnel and local emergency providers will be conducted on a
tree we remove to build our projects.
regular basis. Can we guarantee that there will never be a significant pipeline failure? Our original pledge to build a safe pipeline combined with further enhancements made after hearing the concerns of British Columbians puts us closer than any other pipeline system in the world to providing that guarantee.
Discover more about our rigorous design and safety standards and join the conversation at
safety.northerngateway.ca.
It’s more than a pipeline.
It’s a path to delivering energy safely.
©2012 Northern Gateway Pipelines Inc.
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