Your Questions

Do you have a question about transmission pipelines in Canada? We’d like to hear it.

If your question is about the transmission pipeline industry and it meets our community guidelines, we’ll publish the answer here. Thanks for participating in the discussion!

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How close are we as a society locally and worldly at becoming free of fossil fuel based energy and products? – Matt, Saskatchewan

Hi Matt, Thanks for the question. According to the International Energy Agency, global energy demand increased by 2.1% in 2017, and about 70% of that demand was met by oil, natural gas and coal. While that may not answer your question directly, it does show how reliant our society is on fossil fuels to meet our daily needs. https://www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2018/march/global-energy-demand-grew-by-21-in-2017-and-carbon-emissions-rose-for-the-firs.html

How much electricity does fossil fuel produce? – Bob, Ontario

Hi Bob, According to Natural Resources Canada, in 2017, about 10% of Canada’s electricity supply came from gas/oil/others. Check out their infographic on 10 key facts on Canada’s Energy Sector for more information. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/pdf/10_Key_Facts_on_Canada_sEnergy_Sector_e.pdf

How does building more pipelines affect our dependence on fossil fuels? -Mathew, Winnipeg, MB

Hi Mathew, Great question. Right now, one of the biggest barriers to renewable energy is the upfront capital costs for building and installing infrastructure like solar and wind farms. The taxes and royalties paid by the oil and gas industry helps governments provide incentives for green energy research and development. The energy sector already accounts for 11 per cent of nominal Gross Domestic Product. Building more pipelines ensures we have a strong economy now, which will help ensure funds are available to invest in renewables.

Why do pipelines burst? If we can build submarines and spaceships that keep can remain airtight why can’t we build a pipeline that can keep oil inside it? -Trent, Halifax, NS

Pipeline incidents, while rare, can occur when there are series of failures in a system – whether it’s on the pipeline itself or the systems used to monitor and protect the pipeline. The most common causes of incidents on transmission pipelines are metal loss, materials, external interference, manufacturing or construction defects, and cracking. CEPA members prevent incidents by continuously improving the technologies that inspect and monitor pipelines, using safety management systems to identify, prevent and manage gaps in their operations that can impact safety, and by having a strong safety culture. You can read more about why spills happen here: https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/pipeline-101/why-spills-happen/

Is nuclear energy sustainable? – B.P.D., Winnipeg, MN

Nuclear energy falls within the jurisdiction of the Canadian government. According to Natural Resources Canada, the Government has taken necessary steps to ensure the nuclear energy is a sustainable energy source in the long term. You can read more about it here: https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/uranium-nuclear/7711.

What is the percentage of pipeline failures? Pipeline failures per year and transportation failures/incidents per year? – Jonathon, Grande Prairie, AB

Hi Jonathon, Thanks for the question. We have incident data since 2013 available here: https://pr18.cepa.com/2017-incidents/. To answer your specific questions, in 2017, 1.4 billion barrels of oil were transported through CEPA member’s liquids pipelines. 7,447 barrels were spilled, and of that amount, 51 barrels were unrecovered. Some of the oil not recovered is dissipated through volatization (similar to evaporation) and other natural processes. Remaining oil is removed through remediation. There was one significant incident involving a natural gas pipeline. The release was due to unplanned work on the rights-of-way (released natural gas quickly dissipates into the air). While the one significant incident was small (21,789 cubic feet), the incident was categorized as significant because the failure mode was a rupture (caused by third-party damage). From 2013 to 2017, there were 13 significant incidents on CEPA members’ pipelines. When incidents happen, we are prepared with well-developed emergency response capabilities, including plans, equipment and other resources to respond to and clean up an incident.

What happens if the pipeline is in the middle of a forest fire? Will it explode and loose oil? – Paige, BC

Hi Paige, great question! Long before a pipeline is laid in the ground, pipeline operators have an emergency response plan in place. Safety and emergency preparedness are the industry’s number one priority. CEPA members’ emergency plans reflect that with their complexity and detail, covering every possible scenario. During a fire A few years ago, we featured a blog post on lessons a pipeline operator learned during the Ft. McMurray fires.

How much of energy we use in Canada comes not from fossil fuels? Is there anything that stops us from increasing the amount of energy we get from solar, wind, water (including tidal) sources? – Irina, Kitchener, ON

According to Natural Resources Canada, renewable energy sources currently provide about 18.9 per cent of Canada’s total primary energy supply. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/renewable-electricity/7295. The National Energy Board says there are many factors that impact the adoption of different power sources, such as solar, wind and tidal. Those factors include installation and generation costs, reliability, and environmental considerations. Renewables are important part of the energy mix – and so are pipelines. They are the safest, most reliable way to transport the oil and natural gas products we use every day – to heat our homes, drive our vehicles and enable the creation of products from eye glasses and iPhones!

How will this be achieved? Do we have any kind of actual plan yet? If so when will it be implemented? How much will it cut fossil fuel consumption? What affect will it have on the Canadian economy? Also, what about the long term? Eventually we will run out of fossil fuel, so what then? Is this only a temporary solution, are we only delaying the problem rather than facing it head on? What problems could these new methods and technologies open up when we put them into place and how will we combat them? Will they be environmentally friendly? – Ty Stone, Fredericton, NB

Hi Ty, These are definitely the big questions that we are focused on, not only as an industry, but as a country. The perspective of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) is that it’s not going to be one plan or one single solution that will define our energy future – it’s going to take the collective action from all different energy industries (renewable and non-renewable), the government and the public to impact the future of where our energy comes from and how we use it. If we all work together we can build a safer, stronger energy future for Canada. And CEPA and our members (https://cepa.com/en/membership/cepa-members/) see pipelines as part of our future energy mix. Today, we are reliant on oil and natural gas to meet our daily needs – they are the ingredients in consumer goods like medical instruments and technology, fuel our transportation and provide heating – and that’s unlikely to change quickly. And looking to our future, there are other reasons the oil and gas industry is important. They already have the expertise in energy market and are a good partner to the renewable sector to help develop the infrastructure, create the technologies and provide insights and research. We believe this isn’t an either/or conversation, but one that involves how can all energy producers and transporters evolve and improve together. It also means changes within government and consumer usage/consumption. Natural Resources Canada has a publication on how we can work together on Canada’s Energy Future here and it has some solid actions and recommendations. Regarding some of the specifics of your questions: The shift has already started – some oil and gas companies have been investing in renewables since the 1970s. CEPA members are playing a role in that evolution, investing in areas like power to gas technology (https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/how-one-cepa-member-is-delivering-sustainable-energy-choices-for-canadians/). If we approach this with a long-term view, we can build a strong and diverse energy mix that provides us with the energy we need and continues to strengthen our economy – the energy sector already accounts for 11% of nominal Gross Domestic Product. Canada is 9^th in wind power capacity, 8^th in liquid biofuels and there’s been a tremendous amount of growth in solar in the last eight years, according to NRCan’s report. There is a lot of potential, if we invest in our future wisely. The short answer is that there’s multiple paths to our solution – but there is a solution. We can have an energy future that is reliable, less impactful, diverse and economically-beneficial. We really encourage you to read this NRCan report for more information here.

Why have so many spills in recent years gone unnoticed for a considerable amount of time. – Frank, Sidney, BC

Thanks for this question. We are not sure if you are speaking to incident reporting or leak detection, so we will answer both. The pipeline spills in recent history haven’t gone unnoticed – the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) reports on incidents every year in our Transmission Pipeline Industry Performance Report. In 2017, CEPA members reported there were 19 total liquids and natural gas right-of-way incidents. Of the 5.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas safely delivered by CEPA members in 2017, 0.000049% was released, and of the 1.4 billion barrels of crude oil delivered, 51 barrels dissipated or were recovered through remediation. We shared these facts and more in our Performance Report this year: http://pr18.cepa.com. In terms of leak detection, CEPA members look for minute changes in the normal flow of product to detect leaks. Pipelines are monitored 24/7 from control rooms, and there are different technologies that are used for leak detection, including software programs, specialized video cameras, acoustic technologies and even specially-trained dogs. Our members continue to advance their leak detection solutions. https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/preventing-incidents/leak-detection/. A few years ago, advancements in leak detection actually caused the number of incidents we reported to rise, because of the technologies we invested in detected small pinhole leaks. These were addressed, but they posed little risk to the environment or the public. In 2013, during their annual leak survey, one CEPA member detected and repaired 20 small leaks, using highly sensitive gas leak detectors. By identifying and repairing these small leaks, they reduced the risk of more serious incidents – but they also added to the reported numbers of overall incidents. The increase in reported incidents actually had positive implications for overall pipeline safety. https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/5-facts-about-pipeline-incident-figures/.

Have you heard of the renewable energy the hemp plant is able to produce. With the cannabis demand in canada, we are growing it more than ever and we can used the entirety of the plant to produce various products. Oil is one of these products. We need to concentrate on new forms of energy, and we should keep fossil fuels where they belong – underground. My question is, why are the fuel companies scared to explore the numerous avenues of renewable energy? – Kenny, Dieppe, New Brunswick

Hi Kenny, Thanks for your thoughts and question. We have heard about hemp as source of energy. It’s not our area of expertise, so we can’t speak to the specifics of your comment. The Government of Canada may have some additional information if you are interested. However, we can answer your question about pipeline companies exploring renewable energy. They absolutely do. Here’s an example of one of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association members, Enbridge, and some of the sustainable energy they are investing in: https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/how-one-cepa-member-is-delivering-sustainable-energy-choices-for-canadians/. Enbridge is just one example. A recent article in CBC featured an interview with a former World Bank executive who said that some of the biggest oil and gas companies in the world are making billion dollar investments in renewables. https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/renewable-energy-oil-1.4656106 We believe that all forms of energy are important for Canadians to have a good quality of life. Oil and natural gas are part of that energy mix. The BP Energy Outlook for 2018 shows that renewables are fastest-growing fuel source, but oil and gas together account for over half of the world’s energy. https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/energy-outlook.html Research shows that renewables are growing and important in our energy mix, but we will continue need oil and natural gas in our future as well. Pipelines deliver those products in safest, most responsible way.

Have you done any research on how mycellium can help clean oil spills caused by your pipelines, wells and refinery? What are you doing to clean up a of your oil spills? Are you even taking any precautions against oil spills? – Mackenzie, Toronto, ON

Hi Mackenzie, Great questions. The pipeline industry, and the oil and gas sector as a whole, is definitely research-driven. While I cannot speak to mycelium specifically, we do look at all opportunities for innovation and improvements. There are organizations devoted to research and innovation in all areas, including the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) https://www.prci.org and the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) https://www.cosia.ca/. In terms of spill research, it is a focus of the industry and we have many research initiatives happening in all areas of pipeline operations. For example, we (the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association) are working with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) on some research with the Royal Society of Canada on handling spills in water, called the Freshwater Oil Spill Remediation Study. You can read about it here: https://pr18.cepa.com/water-protection/improving-techniques-to-clean-up-oil-spills. But our priority is to prevent spills from happening in the first place – and CEPA members, who operate transmission pipelines, have a goal of zero incidents. We prevent incidents in a number of ways – using technologies, techniques and innovations to build pipelines safety and ensure ongoing monitoring and inspection. You can learn the specifics on how we prevent incidents here: https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/preventing-incidents/ If an incident does happen, there are processes in place to effectively manage the emergency to keep the pubic safe and limit the impact to the environment. You can find our incident data and information about how we respond to spills here: https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/preventing-incidents/

Who are you funded by? – Kealan, Vancouver, BC

Hi Kealan, The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association is a non-profit organization whose members are the owners and operators of Canada’s transmission pipelines. You can find the list of our members here (https://cepa.com/en/membership/cepa-members/) as well as information about what CEPA offers to its members.

What is the amount spent/allocated for security/maintenance/monitoring of the pipelines per KM of pipes/per liter (or cuFT) of oil moved/per liter of fuel sold at the pump? – Guillaume

Hi Guillaume, Thanks for the question. We collect data from our members on kilometers of pipe operated, amount of product shipped, and investment in maintenance and monitoring. We don’t currently have information on investment in security specifically, or report on product sold at the pump once it’s refined, but here is the information that we can provide: • Amount spent on maintenance and monitoring in 2017 - $1.6 billion • Kilometers of pipeline operated by CEPA members in 2017 – 117,800 • Amount of product safely delivered by CEPA members – 5.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 1.4 billion barrels of crude oil There’s much more in our 2018 Transmission Pipeline Industry performance report.

Is shipping oil by rail less hazardous to the environment? – Sean, Swift Current, SK

Hi Sean, For transporting the volumes of product over the vast distances they must travel, pipelines are the safest option. CEPA members move 3.4 million barrels of crude oil per day through pipelines – that would require approximately 4,200 rail cars.

Why does the common person still need fossil fuels? In homes we can have electric heaters/ovens/stoves… On the road there are electric alternatives. I know for industrial and commercial we still really need fossil fuels HOWEVER there are options that SHOULD be subsidized by the govt that are greener. Really the only reason I can see having pipelines is for mass power generation at natural gas burning power plants and even then they now have technology that can store 100% of all gas fired power plant emissions (seriously this is a thing look it up online). As a society we NEED TO work together to make this happen, it may not be easy or cheap but it has to happen NOW…- Ryan, Abbotsford, BC

Hey Ryan, You’re absolutely right, electrified options are becoming more accessible – and that is important. We all need to make responsible choices about energy consumption. But our lives are so dependent on oil and gas that it is impossible to just ‘pull the plug’. I’m sure you already know much of this, but we have a few blog posts on some of the ways oil and gas play a role in our lives, one is https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/canadians-use-oil-gas-not-just-transportation/. Transmission pipeline operators are also beginning to look at how they, as infrastructure companies, can provide more sustainable energy options - https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/how-one-cepa-member-is-delivering-sustainable-energy-choices-for-canadians/.

One pipe line failure is too many”?? Who came up with this ad? Who thought this was a good idea? How big is the carbon footprint for transporting oil by truck, train and ship compared to pipeline? Seems to be a Hot Topic in Canada why isn’t that directive pushed? I pretty much expect 0 answers for all these questions or I figure you will answer the first one in a roundabout way because it’s over quota for questions. Surprise me answer them all! – Chad, North Battleford, SK

Hey Chad, CEPA came up with the ad – we are the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association and we represent the major transmission pipeline companies in Canada. https://pr18.cepa.com/about-cepa/. Our goal as an industry is zero incidents, which is why we say ‘One pipeline failure is one too many.’ It is a hot topic, but we do believe that. All of our members participate in Integrity First (https://pr18.cepa.com/integrity-first/) because they are committed to ensuring pipelines continue to safely deliver better as more sources of energy are added to Canada’s energy mix. We agree with you that transmission pipelines are proven to be the safest way to transport large volumes of natural gas and crude oil. And the transmission pipeline industry contributes only about 1% of Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. (And there's no quota for questions - keep them coming!)

Do the pipelines transport oil for oil based products other than gasoline? Is this demand great enough to need the construction of additional pipelines? – Andrew, Alberta

Hi Andrew, Thanks for the question! The short answer is yes. The longer answer: There are two types of pipelines, liquids and natural gas. Natural gas pipelines move raw natural gas from wells to facilities where it is processed into natural gas condensate, sulphur, ethane, and natural gas liquids like propane and butane. Liquids pipelines transport crude oil, diluted bitumen or natural gas liquids to refineries where it is converted into a number of different products (such as gasoline.) Some CEPA members also operate pipelines that transport refined products from refineries to distribution terminals or end-use customers (example jet fuel to airports). More information on what products come out of a barrel of oil can be found at https://www.aboutpipelines.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2018_Types-of-Products_ENG.pdf.

Why are companies involved in creating fuel and energy not looking to new resources & free energy technologies for sustainable action on major issues facing humanity? – Elise, Cambridge, ON

Hi Elise, Thanks for the question! Many companies in the oil and gas industry are quite active in looking to new sustainable energy technologies. One example is Enbridge, which is working on power-to-gas and renewable natural gas - https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/how-one-cepa-member-is-delivering-sustainable-energy-choices-for-canadians/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYbJD40rXZM COSIA (Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance) is also doing an amazing job bringing oil sands companies together to share innovations. Check out some of the incredible projects on their website - https://www.cosia.ca/projects. Environmental stewardship is one of the 10 priority areas that CEPA members (major transmission pipeline operators in Canada) are committed to through the Integrity First program – you can learn about that here: https://pr18.cepa.com/environmental-stewardship/

If a pipeline is bored under a watercourse, and happens to burst below the watercourse, how is the pipe removed and the spill contained and/or removed? – Colton, Edmonton, AB

Hi Colton, When a leak is detected on a pipeline that goes through a waterway, valves located on either side of the waterway are closed to shut down the segment of the pipe that’s in water. The pipeline operator activates its emergency response plan to control the spill and limit the damage. The plan will include information about the specific waterway – including currents, spring run-off and habitats. First responders from the pipeline company repair the cause of the leak and start clean-up. The goal is to limit the damage using specialized equipment like spill containment booms and skimmers. Shortly after the emergency crews arrive, clean-up specialists, biologists and hydrology experts arrive to work as long as it takes to clean up the spill. Protecting waterways is critical, and it’s one of the 10 priority areas that CEPA members (major transmission pipeline operators in Canada) are committed to through the Integrity First program – you can learn about that here: https://pr18.cepa.com/water-protection/ And here’s a bit of information about some of the technologies and innovations for monitoring waterways (https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/how-data-is-helping-pipeline-companies-monitor-water-crossings/) and cleaning up spills (https://pr18.cepa.com/water-protection/improving-techniques-to-clean-up-oil-spills/) that CEPA members are using.

It’s clear that Canada values both sustaining environment and growing the economy. What, if any, lengths are energy pipeline companies willing to take to go over and above industry standards to compensate for the risks associated with these dangerous materials? – Mathew, Toronto, ON

Hi Mathew, All CEPA members (major transmission pipeline operators in Canada) are committed to going over and above industry standards in areas such as safety, environmental protection and emergency response through the industry-wide improvement program called Integrity First. Our members' goal is zero incidents and that’s why they are focused on continuous improvement in every area of their operations. You can learn more about Integrity First and how CEPA members are improving their operations at https://pr18.cepa.com/integrity-first/. While we aren't exactly sure what you mean by “compensate for the risks associated with these dangerous materials”, the Pipeline Safety Act clearly states Canadian pipeline companies are liable for the complete cost of a pipeline spill, should the company be at fault. Working with the appropriate regulator, CEPA members will do whatever necessary to ensure the area is cleaned, remediated and reparations are made. For these reasons, major transmission pipeline operators must have a minimum of $1 billion in financial capacity to handle a spill. There's more detail on that here: https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/pays-theres-pipeline-spill-not/

How often are oil pipelines replaced? – Zimbozan, Montreal, QC

Pipeline operators focus on regular inspection and maintenance and prevention and monitoring activities to ensure their pipelines are operating safely for a long time. Transmission pipelines don't have limit on their life span, and they can easily operate for many years with appropriate maintenance. Pipelines are monitored 24/7 from control rooms to ensure that they are operating safety and securely, and anything out of the ordinary gets investigated quickly. Pipeline operators consider the product the pipeline is carrying, the age of the pipeline, geohazards and other critical elements to determine how frequently pipelines should be inspected. To give you an idea of the commitment of transmission pipeline operators' to inspections and maintenance, in 2016, CEPA members conducted almost 3,000 integrity digs to examine pipelines for potential defects and make repairs. There were almost 40,000 km of pipelines inspected by in-line inspection tools and over $1.2 billion was spent on maintaining and monitoring Canadian transmission pipeline systems.

Why do pipelines burst? – Jacke, Kitchener, ON

With a major shift to electric vehicles will oil and gas even be needed in the future?

Shouldn’t we be getting rid of oil and gas? How can we continue to reduce fossil fuels and reduce emissions?

Does the low-carbon future include pipelines?

What methods are used to ensure the pipeline will not rupture or leak over time?

Lynn M.

Preventing incidents is a focus right from the planning stages of a transmission pipeline project. The route selection, design and construction phases of the project are about maximizing safety and minimizing risks to Canadians and the environment. For example, pipeline operators conduct thorough geohazard management surveys where required to assess the risk of ground movement or instability that may cause a pipeline to rupture. Even the type of coating used on the pipeline is carefully chosen, applied and inspected to ensure the pipeline is protected from corrosion. Once the pipeline is operational, it is monitored 24/7 from the pipeline operator’s control room. Many technologies, including sensors and cameras, are used to monitor the pipeline for any anomalies. Aerial surveillance and employees walking the pipeline right-of-way are also regularly used to monitor for anything out of the ordinary. If something is detected, that information is immediately sent back to the control room, where the pipeline can be shut down immediately. Integrity digs are also conducted by pipeline operators. This is a practice where the operator carefully digs up a section of the pipeline where an anomaly has been detected, and if necessary, repairs or replaces the section of pipe. Over 3,000 integrity digs were conducted in 2015 last year on CEPA member pipelines. Pipelines are carefully and regularly monitored and inspected throughout their life cycle, ensuring they are safe and reliable. You can find more information here: https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/preventing-incidents/

Why won’t companies post all their spills and accidents?

Dave

We agree that Canadians have a right to know about spills and accidents. As critical infrastructure, transmission pipelines have an impact on the lives of Canadians, and you should know how safely they are operating. There are a few ways to learn about transmission pipeline incidents in Canada. First, transmission pipelines must report incidents to the regulator – if the pipeline crosses provincial or international boundaries, the company reports incidents to the National Energy Board. If the pipeline is within provincial boundaries, the company reports incidents to the provincial regulator – the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission, Alberta Energy Regulator, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of the Economy, Ontario Energy Board, etc. Most of these regulators have incident postings on their websites. The National Energy Board, for instance, has a safety performance portal, which you can find here. It’s important to note that each regulator has their own set of criteria on what information the company must submit when reporting an incident. CEPA also has an interactive, google-based map called the About Pipelines Map that enables you to search for CEPA member company pipelines, facilities and incidents through a postal code or community lookup, or by zooming in. When looking at incidents, you are able to see the type of incident, when it happened and the cause. CEPA also shares aggregated incident data from our members, which you can find here.

What do you mean by a 99.9% ‘safety record’ — this seems to me like you’re just playing with numbers. If your goal is zero incidents, then the only reasonable response would seem to be to reduce the number of pipelines not expand them.

Peter I.

That’s a great question, Peter. Our safety record is a reflection of the percentage of product that CEPA members were able to transport safely. This means that in 2015, 99.9 per cent of the total volume of liquids and natural gas product arrived safely at their destination. You can view the transmission pipeline industry’s record here (dating back to 2002). The demand for oil and gas products is what drives the expansion of new transmission pipelines. Reducing the number of pipelines wouldn’t necessarily improve the safety record, but it would likely increase the cost of oil and gas for consumers. What will enable us to reach our goal of zero incidents is advancing our safety practices. This means new technologies, creating a culture of safety for employees, focusing on training and working together to continuously improve our practices.

How often are pipes replaced? Are there regulations stating replacement intervals depending on type of pipe used? Or are they only replaced if anomalies are found? If so, how often are pipelines inspected according to both provincial and federal regulations?

Erynn (Lloydminster, AB)

Hi Erynn, Great question. Transmission pipelines don't have limit on their life span, so there aren't regulations in place regarding how often the pipes should be replaced. Pipeline operators focus on proper and regular inspection and maintenance to ensure their pipelines can be safely operational for a long time. Pipelines are monitored 24/7 from control rooms to ensure that they are operating safety and securely, and anything out of the ordinary gets investigated quickly. There aren't regulations for the intervals required for transmission pipeline inspections. Pipeline operators consider the product the pipeline is carrying, the age of the pipeline, geohazards and other critical elements to determine how frequently pipelines should be inspected. To give you an idea of the commitment of transmission pipeline operators' to inspections and maintenance, in 2015, CEPA members conducted over 3,000 integrity digs to examine pipelines for defects and make repairs. There were over 30,000 km of pipelines inspected by in-line inspection tools and over $1.3 billion was spent on maintaining and monitoring Canadian transmission pipeline systems.

What happens when a pipeline bursts?

Lena

Transmission pipeline operators are committed to preventing leaks and spills from happening in the first place. But they are always prepared for an emergency. That preparation includes thorough emergency response plans for each pipeline they operate, and outlines the specific steps and procedures for shutting the pipeline down, responding to the incident, protecting the public and worker safety, and cleaning up the environment. You can find a detailed explanation of how pipeline operators respond to an emergency here, but the steps to responding to an emergency look like this:

Shutting the pipeline down immediately
Putting the emergency response plan is put into action. These plans are designed to address a wide range of emergency scenarios, identify potential hazards to the public and the environment, and outline the process of handling the emergency. This step ensures the safety of the public and workers.
Mobilizing first responders
Bringing in emergency response equipment and additional crews to clean up the area. Clean up is done until the regulator approves the area to be sufficiently restored. Environmental specialists will be brought in as needed as well.
Determining the cause of the incident
Taking responsibility for the liability of the spill

How many pipelines are there in the USA and Canada and how many are being built right now? Also how many pipelines are being planned to be built?

Cora-Beth

Thanks for your question, Cora-Beth. First, it's important to know that the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association represents Canada's transmission pipeline companies, which transport virtually all of the natural gas and crude oil produced in Canada to markets across North America. We can only provide you information about our members' transmission pipelines. In Canada and the U.S., there are over 130,000 km of CEPA members' transmission pipelines, and there are more planned or under construction. Please visit http://memberprojects.aboutpipelines.com for interactive maps on existing, proposed and under construction transmission pipelines.

What pipeline projects are underway and starting soon in Canada?

Frank

Hi Frank - thanks for the question. You can find information about 'proposed and under construction pipelines' projects on our member projects map here: http://memberprojects.aboutpipelines.com/. If you are looking for detailed information about each project, please visit the pipeline operator's website.

How are you making sure that your pipelines have not been sabotaged by eco-terrorists?

George R.

Thanks for your question, George. Protecting pipelines from sabotage or terrorism is of critical importance. At a national level, terrorism is taken very seriously, and government agencies do a lot of watching, forecasting and threat assessment. If there is a potential threat on a pipeline, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) will convey that information to pipeline operators to ensure they are prepared. The pipeline regulator, such as the National Energy Board or a provincial regulator, ensures that pipeline operators have the right safety management systems in place to mitigate and avoid eco-terrorism risks. Pipeline operators are also focused on having a highly-effective security culture, so employees and contractors know to watch for, and report any potential threats. It's important to note that pipelines are monitored 24/7 from control rooms with highly-sophisticated tools and software. If anything seems amiss with the pipeline, it can be shut down quickly; this enables pipeline operators to prevent threats from causing damage to the environment and protects the safety of communities and pipeline workers.

How closely are pipelines monitored? Is there daily visual or aerial inspections of all pipeline routes? Are there pressure and flow meters along all lines hooked up to valves that can automatically close if there is a sudden drop in pressure or flow from the readings further up the lines?

Graham

Transmission pipelines are monitored 24/7 from control rooms using software that gathers critical information from the pipeline. Pipeline operators use a wide range of tools to monitor pipelines constantly - sensors that monitor temperature, flow rate and pressure, fiber optics, video cameras, in-line inspection tools, aerial surveillance and even people walking the pipeline right-of-way. These tools and systems quickly alert technicians if a change is detected in the pipeline. Then using valves located at key points in the line, pipeline operators can quickly shut off the flow of product in the pipeline at a moment’s notice. These valves are controlled remotely from the pipeline operator’s control centre.

When will you take the long term view and learn from progressive countries that are turning to renewable energy sources?

George M.

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