Compliance Verification Activity Report: CV1617-445 - Plains Midstream Canada ULC

Overview

Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection

Team:

• Inspector 2463
• Inspector 1906
• Inspector 2524

Regulated company: Plains Midstream Canada ULC

Operating company: Plains Midstream Canada ULC (Plains)

Province(s) / Territory(s):

• Saskatchewan

Discipline(s):

• Environmental Protection
• Damage Prevention
• Integrity Management

Rationale and scope:

Following a large spill at of a provincially regulated oil pipeline in Saskatchewan at the North Saskatchewan River, the NEB is conducting multi-discipline inspections of liquid pipelines crossing the South Saskatchewan River and Wascana Creek. These inspections are in addition to previously planned inspections in Saskatchewan, and focus specifically on compliance to Damage Prevention, Integrity, and Environmental requirements at watercourse crossings with participation from the Provincial Regulator. Specifically, the scope of this inspection was limited to the general RoW near the Wascana Pipeline crosses Wascana Creek.

Compliance tool(s) used:

• None

Facility details

Facilities:

• Wascana (Regina/Poplar)

Facility Types

• Pipeline
• Pipeline right of way (ROW)
• Valve site

Life-cycle Phases

• Operations

Regulatory requirements

Regulatory requirements that apply to this activity:

• National Energy Board Act (NEBA)
• Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR)
• National Energy Board Pipeline Damage Prevention Regulations – Authorizations
• National Energy Board Pipeline Damage Prevention Regulations – Obligations for Pipeline Companies
• National Energy Board Act (NEBA) 2016-06-19
• Standards
• CSA Z662-15 - Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems

Observations (no outstanding follow-up required)

Observation 1 - Safety - General

Date & time of visit: 2016-09-21 10:30

Discipline: Safety Management

Categories:

• Workplace Exposures and Protections
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Hazard Assessment

Facility:

• Wascana (Regina/Poplar) (Pipeline)

Observations:

• Field Level Hazard Assessment (FLHA) completed.
• All inspection participants observed with required and/or appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with FLHA.
• Company representatives present on site.
• No concerns noted.

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 2 - General - Environment

Date & time of visit: 2016-09-21 10:30

Discipline: Environmental Protection

Categories:

• Water Bodies - Fish-bearing
• Reclamation
• Erosion
• Vegetation
• Vegetation Reclamation
• Crop Productivity

Facility:

• Wascana (Regina/Poplar) (Pipeline)

Observations:

• Pipeline crosses Wascana Creek and adjacent lands in a north to south direction
• Lands on either side of the crossing are cropped, crops have been recently harvested.
• Several regionally common provincially regulated Noxious Weeds are present. These conditions are similar on and off RoW and in the general area.
• No discernable difference with crop productivity of vegetation growth when comparing on and off RoW conditions.
• No slope stability or erosion concerns identified at the bed and banks of the watercourse, and conditions upstream and downstream of the RoW crossing are similar.  
• No excessive staining on valve stems and above ground facilities and no evidence of staining on soil at valve sites.
• Signs of vegetation control, having occurred previously during the growing season are present at both valve sites. Plains Representatives explained typical vegetation management practices utilized at sites for this pipeline.  
• No environmental concerns identified.

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 3 - General Damage Prevention

Date & time of visit: 2016-09-21 10:30

Discipline: Damage Prevention

Categories:

• RoW Maintenance
• Vegetation
• Pipeline Identification
• Signs
• Watercourses
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Patrols, Inspection and Field Observations

Facility:

• Wascana (Regina/Poplar) (Pipeline)

Observations:

• Pipeline identification signage present at watercourse crossing / valve sites and include required and relevant information.
• Officers contacted the emergency contact number posted on pipeline identification signage and reached the appropriate resources that would need to be contacted with Plains in the event of an emergency.
• No third party activities ongoing in the area at the time of inspection.
• Pipeline patrol flyover occurred while officers where on the RoW at this location. Officers and Plains Representatives discussed the Plains pipeline surveillance program for the Wascana Pipeline.  
• Guards (cattle/machinery guards) in place to protect above ground facilities.
• Depth of cover information from the last survey conducted by Plains provided to Officers and discussed.
• No concerns noted.

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 4 - General - Integrity

Date & time of visit: 2016-09-21 10:30

Discipline: Integrity Management

Categories:

• Facilities
• Valves
• Pipeline
• Cathodic Protection

Facility:

• Wascana (Regina/Poplar) (Pipeline)

Observations:

• Valve on both sides of creek (fenced in and valves locked in the open position)
• Open and closed positions of valves visually identifiable
• Plains Representatives and Officers discussed Plains maintenance program for yearly inspections and operation of valves.
• Cathodic protection test station present on adjacent to northern side valve.
•  Slope appears stable with signs of old scour and subsidence (soil slumping with vegetation) present on both sides of creek. 
• No integrity concerns identified.
   

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observations (company follow-up required)

Identified non-compliances to company plans or procedures are non-compliances either to: