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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

ERCB RELEASES NEW BULLETIN AND REPORT ON JUNE 2008 PEMBINA PIPELINE LEAK

Calgary, Alberta (April 14, 2009) The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) has issued its investigation report on the circumstances regarding a crude oil leak under the Red Deer River in June 2008, from a pipeline owned by Pembina Pipeline Corp. The ERCB has determined that the leak occurred after the pipeline was undermined by unprecedented river flows and channel movement. This caused a segment of pipe to be suspended in the water column. External stress on the exposed segment of the pipeline resulted in the failure.

The ERCB has conducted a thorough investigation into the incident. The ERCB accepts Pembina’s technical explanation of the nature and circumstances of the pipeline failure, repair procedure and the subsequent activities being pursued to inspect other similar pipelines for potential problems. No enforcement action was imposed on the company as a result of the incident. The pipeline was repaired and buried 4–5 meters under the river bed and was returned to service with ERCB approval on August 25, 2008.

Pipeline failures in or near water crossings are typically a result of the rapid deviation of the existing river channel or a rapid erosion of the riverbed due to significant rainfall combined with spring melt. This exposes sections of a pipeline that are then subjected to excessive external stresses. ERCB field staff are conducting inspections and following up with operators to ensure pipelines that cross rivers are in compliance with all applicable regulations.

In addition, the ERCB is releasing Bulletin 2009-12 advising other pipeline operators in the province of the problem that was identified in this investigation and reminding them to check their pipelines to ensure that their pipeline right-of-way surveillance is being conducted diligently and in accordance with the legislated requirements. The ERCB will continue to check for this during operational inspections and will apply enforcement if noncompliance is found.

Pipeline failures in Alberta are rare. In 2007 (the last year for which complete numbers are available) the ERCB recorded the lowest-ever pipeline failure rate of 2.1 failures per 1,000 kilometres of pipeline. Since 2000, the pipeline failure rate has dropped 30 per cent.

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For more information, contact:
Davis Sheremata, ERCB Communications
Phone: (403) 605-4216
Email: davis.sheremata@ercb.ca

ERCB NR 2009-09