Wildfires in Fort McMurray

Information Update: May 31, 2016

Enbridge is working collaboratively with local and provincial governments as well as other authorities to support the safe and staged return to Fort McMurray, which is home to a number of Enbridge team members and their families.

As we support our people in their safe return to the community, Enbridge remains focused on the continued safe operation of our systems, which have all been successfully returned to service and are available for clients as production levels continue to increase back to normal rates. Our Athabasca and Cheecham Terminals are operating with a full staff complement.

Enbridge recognizes this has been a difficult and challenging time for the region, industry and the province. We are working closely with our team in the area and have support programs in place to help transition them back to their communities and work duties.

Information Update: May 24, 2016

Enbridge continues to work closely with the province, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, our customers and industry on a staged re-entry and resumption of full operations in the Fort McMurray region.

With the fire still active, we continue to closely monitor the situation. Additional fire mitigation measures, including widened firebreaks, are expected to be completed in the coming days. Industrial firefighters also remain onsite at several facilities as a precaution.

Pipelines into and out of our terminals remain operational. The time required to return to full service will be dependent on a number of factors, including the safety of our people and the staged re-entry into the region.

Access to facilities and our rights of way, as well as utility power supply, remain intermittent but we continue to work to resolve issues as they arise.

Information update: May 16, 2016 — Status of fire near the Cheecham Terminal

Enbridge is working with provincial firefighting crews to contain a fire near our Cheecham Terminal.

Additional industrial firefighting resources are also on scene to help protect the facility, 70 km southeast of Fort McMurray.

An existing firebreak around the Terminal is being widened and our crews are assessing next steps in fire suppression tactics such as spraying down our facilities.

Our Terminal and pump station facilities were designed in consideration of the potential for a forest fire. The distance between our facilities and the tree line is established to minimize the potential of impact from a forest fire.

Some pipelines into and out of the terminal are operating, and we continue to monitor the situation very closely.

Information update: May 13, 2016

Enbridge continues to bring into service parts of its operations impacted by recent wildfires and evacuations in the Fort McMurray area.

Lines 18 and 19 south of Cheecham have been put into service.
The Athabasca Terminal, which had been staffed by a small team for day shifts only since May 3, is now staffed.
The Cheecham Terminal, which had been closed since its evacuation May 4, is also now staffed.
Inspections of both of the terminals determined they were unaffected by the fires.

Safety of our people, the community and protection of the environment is our first priority.

Enbridge is coordinating with emergency response, public safety and utility officials to restore power and make any necessary repairs to its systems while working closely with producers in the region to restart and return our regional pipeline systems to full operation.

The time required to return to full operation will be dependent on a number of factors including the ability to readily access facilities and re-establish power supply while firefighting and emergency response efforts continue in the region.

Information update: May 12, 2016 — Return to service expected within coming days

Management currently expects that system capacity will be restored over the next few days subject to ongoing access to facilities, Enbridge said in its quarterly earnings news release this morning.

“Obviously, this has been a very challenging time for our province and our industry,” Enbridge CEO Al Monaco said during a conference call this morning with industry analysts and media. “It’s been nothing short of a heroic effort by those fighting the fires, first responders and thousands of citizens helping others, especially those that have been displaced. And it’s been great to see the support from across Canada.”

It is estimated that since the shutdown of Enbridge's facilities, deliveries from the Company's regional oil sands pipelines have been reduced by approximately 900,000 barrels per day.

Enbridge Inc.'s Q1 2016 and Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders filings, documents and presentations are available here.

Information update: May 11, 2016 — Enbridge facility testing underway

Enbridge crews are on site today at Cheecham Terminal and other facilities in the Fort McMurray area and are actively testing our systems.

Inspections of the Athabasca and Cheecham Terminal facilities confirm they were unaffected by the wildfire.

Line 18 south from Cheecham was today safely returned to service and is moving storage inventory. This was the result of extensive testing and verification that determined the pipeline could be safely returned to service.

We continue to work collaboratively with our regulators, customers, provincial and local governments, and over the coming days expect to restore additional service as we are safely able to do so.

Information update: May 10, 2016

Enbridge crews have been inspecting facilities and pipelines in the Fort McMurray region. As fires retreat in some areas, Enbridge workers have been able to conduct field assessments of several of its sites.

Inspections of the Athabasca and Cheecham terminal facilities indicate they have been largely unaffected by the fires. Below-ground pipelines along the rights-of-way are typically protected from fire; some above-ground facilities on the rights-of-way have incurred limited damage.

Enbridge is currently finalizing plans to repair and restart its system and working to assess available utility power supply needed to safely return to service.

“Our thoughts remain with the people of Fort McMurray and surrounding area during this difficult time. We’re grateful for the exceptional efforts of firefighters and first responders in containing the wildfires, as well as for the tremendous show of support from across the province and the country for those impacted by the fires and evacuation,” said Al Monaco, President and CEO.

“Our first priority remains the safety of our people and the community. These are difficult circumstances; however, we have a well-trained and experienced team that has developed a detailed logistical plan to enable the safe restart of our pipelines and terminals. We’re working collaboratively with our customers, provincial and local governments and the regulator to return our pipelines to service as soon as we are safely able to do so.”

As of May 10, the Enbridge Cheecham facility remains closed. As a result, all Enbridge pipelines in and out of Cheecham Terminal continue to be isolated and shut down. Limited volumes are currently flowing on Line 19, initiating out of the Kirby Lake facility. Athabasca Terminal continues to operate with a minimum staff complement.

News release available here.

Information update: May 5, 2016

Wildfires continue to have serious impacts on the northern Alberta city of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas, where more than 80,000 people have been evacuated.

Enbridge has strong ties to the community through our Athabasca Region facilities and operations, which is home to many of our team members and their families.

We are all concerned about our colleagues, friends and neighbors in Fort McMurray. Our number one priority is the safety of our people in the area—they have been safely evacuated and are in a secure place. We are working directly with those affected individuals to assist in meeting their immediate needs.

We're continuing to work closely with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and the Alberta Government to monitor the situation.

Enbridge is committing $100,000 to support the Fort McMurray community in emergency response efforts and community development that will be required in coming months. We have made an immediate donation of $25,000 to the Red Cross Relief Fund, and the remaining $75,000 will be distributed as specific community needs are identified.

The Canadian Red Cross has set up a fundraising appeal to assist those impacted by the fire. Financial donations can be made online or by calling 1-800-418-1111.

Our thoughts are with the people and first responders of Fort McMurray and the surrounding area during this difficult time.

Please read our media statement here.