Canada pipeline safety roundup

Pipeline incident report 2014

The number of pipeline ‘incidents’ in Alberta rose 15% in 2014, according to the AER’s 2014 – 2015 annual report, released this week.

The AER said that the number of pipeline incidents increased to 1.6 per 1000 km of pipeline in 2014, from 1.4 in the previous year.

This failure rate works out to 773 incidents in 2014 compared with 658 in 2013.

NEB orders Spectra to correct system failures

Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) has ordered Spectra Energy Corp. to correct a series of ‘management system failures’ following more than two dozen safety and security incidents at its Canadian plants and facilities since 2014.

The NEB issued a safety order on Tuesday, outlining several concerns and asking management to fix the problems at its Westcoast Energy processing plants in western Canada.

The Board has issued CAN$122 300 in fines to Spectra Energy Corp since the beginning of 2015, and a spokesman for the regulator said more sanctions could follow if the company is unable to abide by the order.

NEB says Enbridge is working safely

The NEB has concluded that Alberta-based Enbridge Inc. is operating safely, despite finding the pipeline operator had violated rules designed to identify threats to the public and protect whistleblowers.

The National Energy Board (NEB) released the findings yesterday in a comprehensive audit that examined six areas of Enbridge's operations over a 15 month period, including its safety oversight, emergency planning and environmental practices.

"It is the board's view that Enbridge has the opportunity to significantly enhance its approach to safety performance and safety culture," wrote the regulator's secretary, Sheri Young, in a letter to Enbridge that accompanied the audit.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Sources: Calgary Herald, Reuters, The Globe and Mail

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/16072015/canada-pipeline-safety-roundup/