Compliance Verification Activity Report: CV1617-442 - Enbridge Southern Lights GP Inc. on behalf of Enbridge Southern Lights LP

Overview

Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection

Team:

• Inspector 1906
• Inspector 2524
• Inspector 2463

Regulated company: Enbridge Southern Lights GP Inc. on behalf of Enbridge Southern Lights LP

Operating company: Enbridge Pipelines Inc. (Enbridge)

Province(s) / Territory(s):

• Saskatchewan

Discipline(s):

• Environmental Protection
• Damage Prevention
• Integrity Management

Related events:

• CV1617-441
• CV1718-034

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 determining compliance to Damage Prevention, Integrity and Environmental requirements at watercourse crossings. Staff from the Provincial Regulator participated in these inspections. This inspection is for Lines 13 where it crosses the South Saskatchewan River.

Compliance tool(s) used:

• None

Facility details

Facilities:

• Line 13

Facility Types

• Pipeline
• Pipeline right of way (ROW)

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 – 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: 2016-09-22 13:30

Discipline: Safety Management

Categories:

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

Facility:

• Line 13 (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.
• No concerns noted.
• Company representatives present on site.

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 2 - Environment - General

Date & time of visit: 2016-09-22 13:30

Discipline: Environmental Protection

Categories:

• Soils and Soil Productivity
• Crowns/Subsidence
• Water Bodies - Fish-bearing
• Reclamation
• Vegetation
• Invasive Plant Management
• Vegetation Reclamation

Facility:

• Line 13 (Pipeline)

Observations:

• Pipelines cross the South Saskatchewan River and adjacent lands to the west in a west to east direction.
• Lowlands on the western side of the crossing are not cropped and consist of a mix of native and naturalized agronomics as well as several species common for this type of habitat in this river valley. RoW are difficult to distinguish from adjacent area.
• Generally RoW conditions are similar on and off RoW. 
• No signs of soil crowning or subsidence identified.
• No slope stability or erosion concerns identified at the bed and banks of the watercourse, and the conditions upstream and downstream of the RoW crossing are similar.  
• No environmental concerns identified.

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 3 - Damage Prevention - General

Date & time of visit: 2016-09-22 13:30

Discipline: Damage Prevention

Categories:

• Pipeline Identification
• Signs
• Watercourses
• Railway and Road RoW

Facility:

• Line 13 (Pipeline)

Observations:

• Pipeline identification signage present at road crossing to the western side of the watercourse crossing and includes required and relevant information.
• Pipeline identification signage present on the western side of the watercourse (above the high water mark) and includes required and relevant information. 
• Adequate pipeline identification signage present at other appropriate locations along RoWs, such as property/fence lines.
• Officers contacted the emergency contact number posted on pipeline identification signage and reached the appropriate resources that would need to be contacted with Enbridge in the event of an emergency.
• No third party activities ongoing in the area at the time of inspection.
• Depth of cover information for this watercourse crossing provided and discussed with Officers.
• RoW patrols, frequency, and methods utilized by Enbridge discussed.
• Buoys marking the pipelines at both the southern end and northern end of the crossings corridor are present in both channels of the watercourse.
• Four signs (2 upstream, 2 downstream), are present on either side of the crossing, warning of exposed pipeline and a shallow hazard.  

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: