Line 5 preventative maintenance digs being scheduled

Preventative maintenance digs are integral to Enbridge’s pipeline fitness program. When one of our ultra-high-tech inspection tools detects a change or anomaly on a segment of pipe, we conduct a maintenance dig to take a closer look.

Putting eyes on the pipeline

April 19, 2023

Michiganders might notice some extra activity this spring and summer, as Enbridge begins conducting visual inspections of Line 5 to help ensure its continued fitness.

Integral to Enbridge’s 24/7 monitoring program, the preventative maintenance digs enable Enbridge engineers to examine the pipeline in detail. While preventative maintenance digs involve extensive planning, the process itself has seven steps.

“The visual inspections help identify if there are any features or signs that may require us to take a closer look.” said Mike Moeller, Enbridge’s director of the Great Lakes Region.

How they do it

Using various types of equipment to scan the pipe externally and internally, contractors also may excavate a section of the pipe to clean and examine it. They provide data from the inspection to Enbridge’s experts, who then determine if the data supports the need to implement corrections.

 

“The inspections reflect our commitment to being responsible stewards of the environment and the communities that depend on us.”

—Mike Moeller, director, Enbridge’s Great Lakes Region

“Conducting the preventative maintenance digs is critical for the area in order to receive safely from Line 5 the fuel, propane and other energy on which it depends,” said Moeller.

“With a priority of preventing releases while meeting the region’s energy needs, the inspections reflect our commitment to being responsible stewards of the environment and the communities that depend on us.”

Each preventative maintenance dig can take from a couple days to a couple of weeks, depending on the location and results of the visual inspection.  Over the next five months, Enbridge has plans to conduct a number of preventative maintenance digs in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

“The goal of the digs, like all maintenance that we conduct, is the continued safe and reliable operations of Line 5,” Moeller added.