Saskatchewan Oil Pipeline

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This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor and the Center for Media and Democracy.
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Saskatchewan Oil Pipeline is an oil pipeline in Canada.[1] The pipeline refers to a system of pipelines (SE Saskatchewan Pipeline System) that consists of lines 23, 23A, 23B, 24, 26, and EPSI gathering system, connecting oil from Weyburn, Saskatchewan to Enbridge's mainline system at Cromer, Manitoba.[2]

Location

The pipeline system runs from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, to Enbridge Mainline pipeline system at Cromer, Manitoba. The pipeline originates in Sarnia, Ontario and terminates in Montreal, Quebec.

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Project Details

  • Parent Company: James Richardson & Sons Ltd
  • Operator: Tundra Energy & Marketing Limited[3]
  • Current capacity: 175,000 barrels per day
  • Proposed capacity:
  • Length: Approximately 547 kilometers
  • Status: Operating
  • Start Year:

Background

In 2016, Tundra Energy & Marketing Limited (TEML), purchased the South East Saskatchewan pipeline system from Enbridge Income Fund for over $1 billion, taking over around 547 kilometers of pipeline and its capacity of 175,000 barrels per day. With the purchase of the pipeline system, the Johnson Family's (James Richardson & Sons Ltd.) subsidiary, TEML, controls nearly all of the transportation of oil for South East Saskatchewan and the Southwestern portion of Manitoba up to the Enbridge mainline in Cormer, where TEML's main terminal is located as well.[4][3] The purchase makes TEML responsible for over 200,000 barrels of crude oil production from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and even North Dakota, as line 26 brings crude up from North Dakota to Cromer.[3][5]

Spills

In January 2017, an estimated 50,000 gallons of oil leaked on agricultural land of the Ocean Man First Nation near Stoughton in Southeast Saskatchewan. TEML reported that no oil made it into any waterways and was contained near the source of the spill.[6] The leak went unseen by the company for several days until it was spotted by members of the Ocean Man First Nation due to the smell emanating from the area. According to Chief Connie Big Eagle, the spill was 50 feet in diameter and was very close to an Ocean Man cemetery.[7] At the time of the spill, there had be no discussion of any compensation for the Ocean Man First Nation.[8]

Pipeline historian Sean Kheraj was not shocked that it happened, but unsettled by the fact that the leak happened so soon after the Husky Energy oil Spill a year earlier. The Husky Energy oil spill had dumped a significant amount of oil into the North Saskatchewan river. Kheraj stated that spills such as this one usually fail to be detected because of the limitations of leak detection systems. Kheraj also stated that it is not uncommon for pipeline leak reports to the media to be delayed, which was the case of the Saskatchewan leak.[9]

The 1.2 mile stretch of pipeline which leaked fed into the much larger Saskatchewan pipeline system and was constructed in 1968.[10] The aged oil pipeline responsible for the leak had also never been inspected.[11] Due to the most recent spill, coupled with the Husky Energy oil spill months earlier, the Kisiskatchewan Water Alliance Network called for parties outside of the province to investigate the spills and to present ways the indigenous communities can defend themselves in the future.[11]

Articles and resources

References

  1. Saskatchewan Oil Pipeline , A Barrel Full, accessed September 2017
  2. Enbridge EPSI Region [1] Enbridge, accessed September 2017
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Norm Park, Major deal sends "Enbridge SE Sask. assets to Tundra Energy", Estevan Mercury, October 5, 2016
  4. Brian Zinchuk, TEML to acquire Enbridge’s Saskatchewan gathering system, Pipeline News, September 2, 2016
  5. Lucretia Cardenas, Enbridge completes North Dakota-Saskatchewan crude line reversal, Platts, accessed April 19, 2011
  6. Pipeline Leaks 200,000 Litres Of Oil On Saskatchewan First Nation, Huffpost, January 23, 2017
  7. Ethan Lou, Alastair Sharp, "Canada oil pipeline spills 200,000 liters on aboriginal land", Reuters, January 24, 2017
  8. Christa Dao, ‘Sick and angry’: Sask. First Nation responds to oil spill near Stoughton, Global News, January 24, 2017
  9. Pipeline historian unsurprised by Sask. oil spill, CBC News, January 24, 2017
  10. Small hole caused Canadian oil pipeline spill: officials, Reuters, January 26, 2017
  11. 11.0 11.1 Kisiskatchewan Water Alliance Network on pipeline safety and protection of water, SASK forward, accessed September 2017

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External resources

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