Strathcona County Concerned About Possible Pipeline Project Crowding
Posted by Yoofi Gerard Hagan on Monday, January 28th, 2013 at 10:09am.Strathcona County appears to be running out of space for the 19 proposed pipeline projects, some of which start construction within three years. The concern is that there will not be enough of a cushion between the pipelines to insure safety.
Garry Gabinet, director of the Economic Development and Tourism department, spoke out at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce for the district this past Wednesday. He explained that the county already has over 2,800 kilometres of high pressure underground pipeline. Of that, 17 of the lines are next to residential neighbourhoods.
The transportation utility corridor, or TUC for short, has 19 pipelines and there might be a shortage of space for the proposed new systems. Gabinet noted that this must be addressed both locally and by the province.
One of the more worrisome spots is near Highway 16 as it runs near the Anthony Henday zone. It appears to be a choke point because the lack of acreage for all the proposed lines. In that area there must be a minimum of 30 metres for a pipe right of way, according to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association. Per the CEPA, pipes going through the rural parts of Strathcona require a ten metre right of way and those that go through the TCU require a minimum of six metres.
Pipelines already installed in the Strathcona area transport a number of energy gasses and fuels. Among them are crude oil, natural gas, ethane, butane and hydrogen. From here the items transport throughout the province and across Canada.
More Pipelines Proposed
Even though this choke point is causing concern, some firms are still going ahead with plans for additional pipelines, including the Northern Gateway. The county received an update on the proposals for pipeline construction this past Tuesday.
Dividing the county into three sections the proposals cover the Strathcona Industrial Area, or SIA, that runs to the border of Leduc, the Strathcona Industrial Area that runs to the Heartland and the Heartland region itself. The report was given by Lori Mills, the energy exploration liaison for the county.
In the first sector, the SIA, six pipelines exist and three more are being proposed. In 2014 Enbridge Pipelines is planning to start on a crude oil pipeline running from Edmonton to Hardisty. The 36-inch pipe project will include a new pump station built at the terminus in Edmonton. Also on the books is the replacement of an existing line with a new 24-inch crude oil pipe, intended to start sometime in 2013.
Kinder Morgan is planning an expansion of their Trans Mountain Pipeline with a targeted start date of 2016. The intended route will be from the SIA to Burnaby in British Columbia. That 30-inch pipe will be carrying crude oil.
In the second section, running from the SIA to Heartland, there are six projects currently being proposed. Two are intending to start construction within 24 months. Enbridge has plans for two 36-inch pipelines, one of which is the Woodland project. Construction on the latter pipeline is slated to start sometime in 2013. The Stonefell line is currently on hold.
The Polaris Edmonton Connection project is slated to begin in 2014. Proposed by the Inter Pipeline Fund, it will also include a new pump station located in the SIA and an expansion of its existing pump station.
Other projects in the second section are a liquid natural gas line from Edmonton to Fort Saskatchewan and twin pipelines from the SIA into Fort McMurray, a project of the TransCanada Corporation. These lines are intended to transport diluents and crude oil.
The Heartland section is slated for 10 pipeline projects all of which are intended to begin within the next 24 months. Companies involved in these projects include Canexus Corporation, Enhance Energy Inc, Shell Canada and Access Pipeline.
The Northern Gateway pipeline is one of these projects, intended to start sometime in the summer of 2013. The National Energy Board is currently hearing arguments about those plans. The intent is to build two lines, one a 36-inch pipe, the other a 20-inch, both intended to transport diluents and crude oil. The National Energy Board is behind this project which includes a new pump station in the Heartland sector.
Mills noted that all the proposed pipeline projects will align with other existing lines. The landscape will not be as crowded as it seems.
Those interested in more information on the pipeline projects can log into www.strathcona.ca for more details. A map of the pipelines is also available for public view at the community centre in Strathcona County.
Garry Gabinet, director of the Economic Development and Tourism department, spoke out at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce for the district this past Wednesday. He explained that the county already has over 2,800 kilometres of high pressure underground pipeline. Of that, 17 of the lines are next to residential neighbourhoods.
The transportation utility corridor, or TUC for short, has 19 pipelines and there might be a shortage of space for the proposed new systems. Gabinet noted that this must be addressed both locally and by the province.
One of the more worrisome spots is near Highway 16 as it runs near the Anthony Henday zone. It appears to be a choke point because the lack of acreage for all the proposed lines. In that area there must be a minimum of 30 metres for a pipe right of way, according to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association. Per the CEPA, pipes going through the rural parts of Strathcona require a ten metre right of way and those that go through the TCU require a minimum of six metres.
Pipelines already installed in the Strathcona area transport a number of energy gasses and fuels. Among them are crude oil, natural gas, ethane, butane and hydrogen. From here the items transport throughout the province and across Canada.
More Pipelines Proposed
Even though this choke point is causing concern, some firms are still going ahead with plans for additional pipelines, including the Northern Gateway. The county received an update on the proposals for pipeline construction this past Tuesday.
Dividing the county into three sections the proposals cover the Strathcona Industrial Area, or SIA, that runs to the border of Leduc, the Strathcona Industrial Area that runs to the Heartland and the Heartland region itself. The report was given by Lori Mills, the energy exploration liaison for the county.
In the first sector, the SIA, six pipelines exist and three more are being proposed. In 2014 Enbridge Pipelines is planning to start on a crude oil pipeline running from Edmonton to Hardisty. The 36-inch pipe project will include a new pump station built at the terminus in Edmonton. Also on the books is the replacement of an existing line with a new 24-inch crude oil pipe, intended to start sometime in 2013.
Kinder Morgan is planning an expansion of their Trans Mountain Pipeline with a targeted start date of 2016. The intended route will be from the SIA to Burnaby in British Columbia. That 30-inch pipe will be carrying crude oil.
In the second section, running from the SIA to Heartland, there are six projects currently being proposed. Two are intending to start construction within 24 months. Enbridge has plans for two 36-inch pipelines, one of which is the Woodland project. Construction on the latter pipeline is slated to start sometime in 2013. The Stonefell line is currently on hold.
The Polaris Edmonton Connection project is slated to begin in 2014. Proposed by the Inter Pipeline Fund, it will also include a new pump station located in the SIA and an expansion of its existing pump station.
Other projects in the second section are a liquid natural gas line from Edmonton to Fort Saskatchewan and twin pipelines from the SIA into Fort McMurray, a project of the TransCanada Corporation. These lines are intended to transport diluents and crude oil.
The Heartland section is slated for 10 pipeline projects all of which are intended to begin within the next 24 months. Companies involved in these projects include Canexus Corporation, Enhance Energy Inc, Shell Canada and Access Pipeline.
The Northern Gateway pipeline is one of these projects, intended to start sometime in the summer of 2013. The National Energy Board is currently hearing arguments about those plans. The intent is to build two lines, one a 36-inch pipe, the other a 20-inch, both intended to transport diluents and crude oil. The National Energy Board is behind this project which includes a new pump station in the Heartland sector.
Mills noted that all the proposed pipeline projects will align with other existing lines. The landscape will not be as crowded as it seems.
Those interested in more information on the pipeline projects can log into www.strathcona.ca for more details. A map of the pipelines is also available for public view at the community centre in Strathcona County.
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