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Our Performance

Conducting emergency response exercises

We conducted 204 emergency response exercises in Canada and the United States in 2006. (Liquids Pipelines U.S. and Canada conducted 135 exercises, Enbridge Gas Distribution conducted 41 exercises and participated in two external exercises; and the United States Gas Transportation Business held 26 exercises system wide.) These ranged from tabletop exercises, where employees discussed responses to various scenarios, to full-scale deployment exercises with local emergency agencies, using equipment to practice recovery and cleanup in various terrains.

Surveying staff on emergency preparedness

In 2004, Liquids Pipelines conducted a system-wide emergency response employee survey and capability review. Several opportunities for improvement were identified and as a result a number of enhancements to the emergency response program were developed and implemented through 2005 and into 2006.

Cross-border emergency response

Because Liquids Pipelines operates a system that originates in Canada and transports liquid petroleum products to the United States, it is essential that we are prepared for cross-border emergency response activities. In some cases, our emergency response personnel stationed in Canada may be able to respond more quickly to an emergency condition in the northern-most United States portion of the pipeline system than their United States counterparts. In consideration of this, emergency responders from Gretna, Manitoba, Estevan, Saskatchewan, and Westover and Sarnia, Ontario, conducted border-crossing exercises in 2006. These were successful in large part due to the development of effective communication channels between Enbridge and the United States port authorities. Findings from these exercises were used to develop a general cross-border protocol that is now in place.

Cooperative emergency exercises

Conducting field exercises is an important component of pre-emergency preparedness. In 2006, Liquids Pipelines carried out several significant cooperative exercises with industry and municipal partners, as well as with contracted emergency response support organizations. Because responders from different organizations work together as a team, these exercises allow for an increased level of realism. Evaluating communications between partners is always a primary goal during these events. Some examples include:

• An unannounced exercise simulating a leak from an unknown source within the City of Regina, Saskatchewan, that included resources from industry partners and the municipality.
• A simulated oil spill to the Vermillion River in Livingston County, Illinois. This exercise included resources from the local municipality, a regional emergency response contractor, and a national oil spill response organization.
• A tank fire exercise in Clearbook, Minnesota, that included local responders from multiple municipalities.
• A natural gas liquids (NGL) exercise in Lougheed, Alberta, that included a provincial agent and local responders from multiple municipal organizations.

Enbridge Gas Distribution emergency exercises in Ontario

Enbridge Gas Distribution organized and participated in many emergency exercises in 2006, a few of which are described below.

Our storage operations conducted an unannounced field drill that simulated a fire at one of out oil batteries in southern Ontario. The scenario was that a condensate processing tank within the battery compound had caught fire. Enbridge personnel and fire crews from four stations within St. Clair Township participated in the exercise. The fire crews used the opportunity to practice supplying water to their portable tanks from their pumper trucks on site and then refilling from a local water supply in relay style.

Our Emergency Response Committee was tested in an exercise that dealt with an evacuation for several days of Enbridge Gas Distribution’s headquarters in Toronto. The Committee utilized our alternative Command Centre for the exercise, which resulted in a review of prioritization of continuity for critical business functions and supporting IT applications.

The incident management groups and some field crews from our Toronto and Central Region Operations groups participated in a large exercise hosted by the City of Vaughan that simulated a rail tanker accident. This gave our incident coordinators an opportunity to practice response within a unified command structure involving many responding agencies.

Participating in industry initiatives

Working within the Canadian Gas Association, Enbridge Gas Distribution played a lead role in 2006 in developing two documents that will enhance our preparedness and that of other CGA member companies.

The Influenza Pandemic Planning Guide is a template to assist member companies in developing their pandemic preparedness plans. The guide details the essential elements to be considered and incorporated in any plan.

The CGA Mutual Assistance Agreement is intended to improve the timeliness and/or effectiveness of response to emergency events by clarifying the terms, conditions and availability of mutual assistance in advance of potential emergencies.

Emergency preparedness in Canada’s north

Enbridge’s operations in Canada’s north took an active role in several emergency response exercises in 2006:

• Our Northern Region participated in the Command Post phase of Operation Narwhal in preparation for Exercise Narwhal scheduled for April 2007. A joint initiative involving the Canadian and United States military, the RCMP, the National Energy Board, territorial governments and the private sector, Exercise Narwhal will practice an integrated response to several emergency scenarios in Canada’s north including a terrorist threat to the energy sector, a health threat and a major air disaster.
• Inuvik Gas Ltd., in which Enbridge has a 33 per cent interest, conducted two table top exercises in 2006 and attended a small shrub/tundra fire demonstration conducted by the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Forest Management division.