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PIPELINE AND SYSTEM INTEGRITY

Pipelines are proven to be the safest, most efficient way to transport petroleum products. Our ongoing monitoring and maintenance programs contribute to that safe operation.

At Enbridge, we endeavour to be a leader in pipeline and system integrity by:

By undertaking these initiatives, we maintain high standards of operating and environmental, health and safety (EH&S) performance and contribute to public confidence in our systems.

OUR PERFORMANCE

Broadening System Integrity in Liquids Pipelines

Many federal regulations governing our liquids pipelines operations in Canada and the United States focus on system integrity issues. We have set corporate leak-reduction targets across our Liquids Pipelines system, and performance goals are now linked to corporate and individual performance and compensation.

Since our leak-reduction initiatives began in 2004, Enbridge has seen a continuous decline in the number of reportable leaks at pipeline facilities across our mainline Liquids Pipelines system. Leak-reduction teams, small-piping-integrity initiatives, and changes to engineering standards have all contributed to the reductions achieved to date. Enbridge continues to focus on leak reduction, and we are planning to expand our initiatives to focus on valves, pumps and other sources of potential leaks.

Enbridge’s strong focus on advancing pipeline integrity is aimed at technological advances, as well as understanding the science of how to find, mitigate and prevent leaks or ruptures on the pipeline systems. To accomplish this, we are actively involved with industry research and standards organizations such as the Pipeline Research Council International, the Canadian Standards Association, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) and the American Petroleum Institute. We actively participate in industry forums and workshops aimed at communicating and sharing information on how to manage the integrity of the pipeline systems. In 2006, we: presented technical and research papers; participated on industry panels; and participated as workshop-session leaders at the International Pipeline Conference, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s R&D Forum, and the NACE International Conference.

To aid industry and to advance pipeline safety, Enbridge is actively involved in supporting and completing research that will improve our understanding of pipeline hazards, and of methods to prevent, monitor and repair potential defects on the pipeline system. In 2006, we provided financial support or initiated research into advanced understanding of internal corrosion and mitigation techniques for large-diameter transmission pipelines, and for advanced loading-rate analysis for stress corrosion cracking on liquids pipelines.

In 2006, we also completed field research with one of our in-line inspection vendors to test the use of magnetic signal characterization of dents to look for possible cracking. This research was successful in extending the use of an existing technology to find these defects, and we jointly presented our findings to the pipeline industry at the 2006 International Pipeline Conference.

Click here for reports on: Identifying Canadian high-consequence areas; Upgrading containment features; Carrying out pipeline integrity “digs”; Integrity management at Enbridge Gas Distribution; Integrity management in the United States; Enbridge Pipeline Data Management System; and Integrity Compliance Activity Manager.
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Identifying Canadian high-consequence areas

In 2006, Enbridge identified high-consequence areas for Liquids Pipelines’ Canadian mainline system. These areas include high- and medium-populated areas, drinking-water intakes, environmentally sensitive areas, and commercially navigable waterways. As a result, we now include these areas to generate our 2007 risk assessment results and identify potential remote-controlled-valve locations. In both cases, knowledge of these high-consequence areas is used to identify additional risk prevention and mitigation measures that can be put in place to provide extra protection.

Upgrading containment features

Since 2002 in Canada and 2004 in the United States, Enbridge has been upgrading our containment features at facilities to minimize the potential for off-property non-tankage releases. This work continued into 2006 and is expected to carry forward until at least 2008.

Carrying out pipeline integrity “digs”

Our ongoing program of maintenance “digs” involves excavating sections of pipeline to inspect and repair pipe to maintain high levels of system integrity. In 2006, we completed 72 in-line inspections and completed over 600 digs along our mainline Liquids Pipelines system in Canada and the United States.

Our goal is to conduct all maintenance digs to the highest environmental standards. Before beginning work, we complete screening tests to identify environmental issues and measures needed to minimize our impacts to land, vegetation and wildlife. We conduct similar environmental reviews for other small engineering and operation and maintenance projects. We also train inspectors and contractors on safety and environmental requirements and best management practices, and provide environmental specifications for these projects.

Integrity management at Enbridge Gas Distribution

In accordance with pipeline integrity regulations in Ontario, Enbridge Gas Distribution continues to perform in-line inspection of its pipelines that are operating at high stress. In-line inspection is a key part of our Integrity Management Program (IMP), which provides a proactive means to ensure a safe and reliable distribution system.

In 2006, our integrity management department:

  • Reviewed and revised the 10-year Baseline Inspection Plan, which prioritizes inspection of pipelines by risk.
  • Completed the in-line inspection and data verification for the 39.1-kilometre NPS 36 Parkway North pipeline.
  • Completed validation of the in-line inspection of the 55.6-kilometre NPS 8 Collingwood line, including the measurement of 45 metal loss and 20 dent indications. Mitigation of six remaining dents in the line is planned for 2007.
  • Completed as far as possible retrofitting of the lines scheduled for in-line inspection in 2007.

In addition to pipelines, our IMP program includes managing the condition of the inlet piping to gate stations. In 2006, we replaced the inlet piping to our Lisgar Gate Station with a higher grade of pipe. This lowered the stress developed at maximum operating pressure so we were able to remove this inlet from the program. We used the inlet piping to Haley Gate Station for field trials of new guided wave ultrasonic inspection equipment and in the process detected no indications requiring repair. We were also able to remove two other gate stations from the program by conducting detailed records searches on the grade and wall thickness of the inlet piping to determine that stress levels were acceptable.

Since 2003, pipeline integrity regulations in Ontario have required operating companies to complete a ‘depth of cover’ survey of all high-stress pipelines that are located in agricultural areas. The frequency of the survey is left to the operating company and we have chosen to complete it every three years. We completed our second survey in 2006. We identified one area of non-compliance and made plans to return that location to compliance in the summer of 2007.

Enbridge Gas Distribution provided Structural Integrity Associates and The Welding Institute with four locations for their field trials of guided wave ultrasonic inspection equipment. We also participated in validation testing of both organizations’ systems in a Northeast Gas Association study of the emerging technology.

Integrity management in the United States

Our United States Gas Transportation Business introduced an IMP in 2005 to comply with a federal regulation requiring gas transmission pipeline operators to develop such programs for pipelines located where a leak or rupture could do the most harm. Under the regulation, operators are required to: perform ongoing assessments of pipeline integrity; improve data collection, integration, and analysis; repair and remediate pipelines as necessary; and implement preventive and mitigation actions.

Our comprehensive IMP initiatives in 2006 included:

  • assessing pipeline segments that are located in high-consequence areas on a prioritized basis;
  • developing aerial maps to aid in the assessment;
  • adding enhanced processes and procedures to ensure compliance with new regulations regarding audit protocols that were introduced during the year; and
  • expanding our systems integrity department to manage the added work stemming from the regulation.

In the first quarter of 2006, the United States Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration conducted an audit of the business unit’s IMP. The audit was a joint effort between federal and state inspectors to help ensure compliance with federal safety regulations.

Enbridge Pipeline Data Management System

In 2006, the United States Gas Transportation Business continued work on developing an integrated geographic information system for pipeline data management. The system will contribute to compliance with new federal pipeline safety regulations requiring operators to improve data integration and analysis.

Integrity Compliance Activity Manager

In 2006, the United States Gas Transportation Business worked on development and implementation of a tool to link its IMP "framework" to the creation of its actual processes. This will aid in the management of internal processes, as well as provide a platform to address compliance with all inspection protocol requirements.

 

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