Environmental GRI Performance Indicators
EN18 – Initiatives to reduce GHG emissions and reductions achieved.
Reducing Direct Emissions
Enbridge is developing a more comprehensive Carbon Management Strategy that will include further actions to reduce our own direct emissions. As the majority of our Canadian direct emissions emanate from our Gas Distribution and Services businesses, we will focus on finding ways to reduce those emissions.
While we expect our total emissions (direct and indirect) to rise as we grow our operations, we also expect to be able to achieve absolute reductions in our direct emissions.
We will consider targets for reducing direct emissions from our other assets once we have completed a full emissions inventory and have developed our overall Carbon Management Strategy.
Enbridge Gas Distribution initiatives
Enbridge Gas Distribution has taken a number of actions to improve its GHG data inventory, including:
- Continuation of cast iron pipe replacement and endeavouring to secure actual leak measurement rates when appropriate to obtain more accurate emission factors.
- Replacement of compressor seals at Tecumseh Gas Storage and measurement of post-implementation leak rates with resulting improved emission factors.
- Measurement of combustion emissions at a regulator station prior to the deployment of cold weather technology to establish an emissions baseline for GHG and criteria air contaminant reductions from this technology. (Cold weather technology refers to a system of heating depressurized natural gas that significantly reduces the fuel required.) Once this technology is installed, we will implement a post-deployment emissions measurement program to quantify the emissions reductions.
- In association with other gas distribution companies, investigation of the potential use of geothermal and solar technologies at gate stations to replace the current gas-fired boilers.
Gas Transportation – STAR Program
We are committed to minimizing our environmental impacts by partnering in voluntary programs that promote GHG emission reductions, spill prevention and pipeline integrity. Lowering air emissions and reducing loss of product is better for the environment, good for our customers and good for our bottom line.
Our Gas Transportation business is an active participant in the EPA’s Natural Gas STAR Program, which was introduced to encourage U.S. companies that produce, process, transmit, and distribute natural gas to implement cost-effective technologies and practices that reduce emissions of methane.
Since the STAR program’s inception in 1993, 120 partner companies have eliminated 16.3 billion cubic metres (577 billion cubic feet) of methane emissions. In 2006, partner companies reported methane emission reductions equivalent to removing more than 7.5 million cars from the road for one year or planting more than 28.9 million acres of trees.
The partner companies are estimated to have saved over US$600 million by keeping more gas in their systems for sale in the market. Our Gas Transportation business has been a STAR program partner since late 2003, when we enrolled our Gathering and Processing business unit in the program.
In 2007, our STAR program activities helped us avoid the loss of an estimated 20.8 million cubic metres (734.5 million cubic feet) of methane or about 295,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents. Most of these reductions resulted from our use of aerial infrared imaging to identify pipeline methane leaks. In 2007, we conducted 14 pipeline surveys, and discovered and repaired 28 leaks.
Carbon Dioxide Sequestration
In February 2008, Enbridge announced that we will lead a group of over 30 energy industry participants to explore the development of a carbon dioxide sequestration pilot project. The initiative is called the Alberta Saline Aquifer Project (ASAP).
Carbon dioxide sequestration is an emerging technology that presents opportunities for capturing and storing GHGs in geological formations.