Operating the Pipeline

	Enbridge's experience, commitment to environmental protection and health and safety excellence, and technological expertise is behind all of the company's infrastructure and operations.

Batching and Scheduling Commodity Control Pipeline Control System Leak Detection Pipeline Integrity Pipeline Maintenance

Batching and Scheduling

The Enbridge System is operated in a segregation, or batch mode, where volumes are transported according to commodity type and ownership, and are scheduled and tracked through the system from point of injection to point of delivery. Enbridge shippers use the proprietary Oil Movement Manager (OM2) communications system to easily transmit nominations for space on the pipeline and requests for changes in shipments. Shippers can also access injection and delivery schedules, inventories, transportation costs, operating information and general announcements. Enbridge has the expertise to schedule batches, and at the same time:

• optimize the use of pipeline facilities
• maintain the quality of all commodity types
• optimize throughputs
• offer shippers flexibility and reliability while meeting their commercial requirements

Commodity Control

Enbridge is widely recognized as an industry leader for its ability to maintain the quality of individual commodities while operating a multi-batch pipeline system over long distances. Products entering and leaving the system are continuously metered to ensure accurate custody transfer and safe, efficient operation.

Pipeline Control System

In 1968, Enbridge became one of the first pipeline companies in the world to implement computer control of its pipeline systems, commonly referred to as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). This system allows pipeline operations staff to monitor pipeline flow, pressure conditions and trends, to start and stop pumping units, and to open or close pressure control valves - all from a central control centre. Enbridge has continued its preeminent role with the development and implementation of its patented Pipeline Control System (PCS), which controls and monitors the complex, multi-commodity batch system from centralized locations. Communication with remote stations spread over more than 4,000 kilometres is achieved with leased data circuits, and satellite and microwave based networks.

Leak Detection

Enbridge has configured and implemented a sophisticated, reliable and accurate real-time, software-based leak detection system. The Computational Pipeline Monitoring (CPM) system was designed for both single product and multi-batch operations. The system considers pressure variations and performs mass balance calculations. The CPM takes data from strategically located pipeline flow meters, pressure and temperature sensors, and densitometers to calculate the volume of liquid hydrocarbons in the pipeline system, as well entering and leaving segments of the system. The CPM will trigger an alarm if there are irregularities in the system that could indicate a leak.

Pipeline Integrity

Enbridge's pipeline integrity programs have contributed to one of the lowest pipeline incident frequencies in the industry. Enbridge is a leader in the use of internal pipeline inspection, corrosion and crack data analysis, pipeline repair methods, coatings and cathodic protection.
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Pipeline Maintenance

Enbridge has developed a number of maintenance tools and techniques to enhance pipeline integrity and reduce downtime associated with pipeline maintenance programs. Repair sleeves, vapour plugs, isolation tools and inertial geometry pigs are some of the pipeline repair tools developed by Enbridge.

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