Who to contact at Enbridge in the event of a potential pipeline emergency
Enbridge has programs in place to inform the public, residents, landowners, first responders, municipalities, Indigenous communities and provincial, state and federal agencies about our operations and how to recognize and respond to emergencies. As part of our public awareness programs, Enbridge maintains current contact information5 for residents and businesses near our infrastructure. Our emergency response plans and associated documents provide notification procedures and contact information for first responders, municipalities, Indigenous communities and federal, provincial and state agencies, as required. Our first priority is always safety, so Enbridge will alert local emergency services of an event if they are not already aware. The public may be notified in emergency situations by local emergency responders or directly by Enbridge.
The public can notify Enbridge of an issue by calling the appropriate toll-free, 24-hour emergency numbers, which can be found here, on the tile directly below, in our public awareness materials, and on our rights-of-way, processing facilities and pipeline markers.
Enbridge’s public awareness programs are designed to educate key stakeholders who live and work near our pipelines and facilities about the presence of pipelines and facilities in their communities as well as provide important information related to the products we process and transport, pipeline and facility safety and emergency awareness and response. We provide more detailed information on the products we process or transport to first responders so that in an emergency, they will be able to quickly identify how to respond.
Who to contact at Enbridge in the event of a potential pipeline emergency
We contact communities, landowners, emergency responders and other groups near our pipelines and facilities on an ongoing basis.
Enbridge processes and transports energy in multiple forms, including gas and liquids. General safety information regarding specific products that Enbridge processes and transports is available in safety data sheets which are included in our emergency response plans and supporting documents. The basic product information and general hazards associated with the products are outlined in the table below.
Basic Product Information
Product |
Appearance |
Odor |
Special Behavior |
Hazards |
Natural Gas |
Colorless gas |
No odour in natural state; however, most distribution system lines add odorant (rotten egg smell) |
Low density and lighter than air |
Extremely flammable and explosive under certain conditions |
Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs)* |
Steam-like cloud or frost-like appearance on the ground |
Similar to gasoline, but much stronger and extremely unpleasant |
Heavier than air |
Flammable and explosive |
Sour Gas (Gas containing hydrogen sulfide) |
Colorless gas |
Similar to rotten eggs |
Is lighter than air and is buoyant until high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide are present (greater than 20%), then becomes slightly heavier than air |
Flammable and explosive |
Crude Oil* |
Color ranges from yellow to black |
Similar to gasoline or diesel fuel |
Flows with the profile of the land |
Flammable and explosive under certain conditions |
Diluents* |
Clear to black liquid |
Extremely strong odor similar to crude oil |
Very light and fluid, similar to gasoline |
Flammable and explosive under certain conditions |
Condensate* |
Clear to dark brown |
Similar to gasoline or diesel fuel |
Very light and fluid, similar to gasoline |
Flammable and explosive under certain conditions |
* Many compounds of crude oil, natural gas liquids, diluents and condensate are volatile and toxic and may enter the human body through inhalation, ingestion and skin absorption to cause irritation, dizziness, headache or even loss of consciousness. Benzene levels in condensate vary greatly and prolonged and repeated exposure to certain levels may cause severe health effects.
In the event of an emergency, Enbridge is committed to communicating with all impacted stakeholders. Depending on the circumstances of the emergency, Enbridge may utilize multiple communication platforms to share timely information, which may include:
For their safety, when circumstances warrant, Enbridge’s emergency responders are equipped with personal gas monitors. In addition, Enbridge may work with local first responders and contractors to set up community air monitoring during an incident to ensure public safety.
Protecting the environment in the areas where we operate is a priority for Enbridge. A critical part of that commitment is safeguarding water supplies. This is factored into the full lifecycle of our infrastructure projects. At the front end of the lifecycle, these safeguards include:
If a release is detected or reported, we can promptly shut down and isolate the affected pipeline section or facilities and rapidly dispatch a trained response team, including environmental crews who have an understanding of the products we process and transport. Under the oversight of provincial/state and federal agencies, Enbridge is committed to cleaning and restoring areas affected by a release to limit any long-term impacts to landowners or the environment. If a drinking water source is impacted, Enbridge would make arrangements to secure an alternative source of water supply until the issue is remedied.
Find out more about the various aspects of Enbridge's emergency management programs, including:
5 Contact information may include addresses, phone numbers, and/or names.