NEB comments on Équiterre pipeline safety in Canada report
Press Release
On June 14, 2018, Équiterre published a report on pipeline safety in Canada. Below are some observations from the National Energy Board regarding the report.
Pipeline incidents in Quebec in 2017
- The increase in reports of incidents in Québec in 2017 is linked to the late reporting of overpressure events on the pipeline operated by Trans Northern Pipeline Inc (TNPI) that connects Nanticoke, Ontario, to the Montréal Trudeau Airport.
- The majority of the incidents reported by Trans-Northern in Quebec in 2017 are related to events that occurred in previous years.
- Specifically in Quebec, TNPI reported 15 incidents in 2017, of which 11 occurred in previous years.
- Of the 11 that occurred in previous years: 7 occurred in 2015 and 4 occurred in 2016.
- The fact that the incidents were reported late was due mainly to TNPI’s misunderstanding of the NEB reporting requirements. The NEB clarified these requirements for TNPI and directed the company to review and report on its historical overpressures. Since then, the NEB has updated the NEB Event Reporting Guidelines to reflect the clarifications in reporting requirements.
- There were no oil spills in Quebec at NEB-regulated pipelines in 2017. The last spill occurred in 2011.
Increase in pipeline incidents in Canada in 2017
- As reported by the NEB on its website, reports of pipeline incidents have increased in 2017.
- The increase was mostly driven by reports of a specific type of incident, namely Operations Beyond Design Limits incidents. In recent years, the NEB has focused a significant amount of effort at ensuring the reporting requirements for this incident type is clear. We are seeing the results of those efforts with the increase seen in 2017.
- The NEB ensures that companies take the measures necessary to protect the safety of the public, the environment and their facilities.
- Our staff conducts regular inspections and monitors the activities of regulated companies on ongoing basis. The NEB holds companies responsible for the safety their operation, and the protection of the public and the environment.
- The NEB is committed to transparency and publishes extensive data on pipeline safety and the performance of regulated companies, including
- The NEB takes immediate action when it identifies hazards to the safety of people or the environment. These actions include issuing orders, imposing corrective plans or monetary penalties.
Standardisation of incident data
- Since January 2015, the NEB and Transportation Safety Board have jointly implemented a single window On-line Event Reporting System (OERS). This system allows for the reporting of the same data to both organizations simultaneously and has therefore reduced the number of discrepancies between the two organizations’ databases.
- The NEB is participating in a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) working group along with the TSB and the pipeline industry to develop some standardized definitions and performance indicators that could be used in future to improve the comparability of information across the entire pipeline industry.
Trans Northern Pipelines Incorporated – Safety Orders
- In 2016, the NEB issued a series of safety orders to Trans Northern Pipelines Inc. (TNPI), directing the company to take several measures including:
- a 30% reduction in operating pressure on the pipeline system
- a further 10% reduction in certain lines
- improvements in hydraulic modeling to predict over-pressures
- annual fitness for service for the company’s pipeline system
- a reassessment of the company’s overpressure protection methodology
- reassessment of incident reporting procedures and criteria
- These orders not only upheld standards of safety and environmental protection but required the company to improve its overall practices.
- Since then, the company has put in place corrective action plans, which are subject to ongoing NEB oversight.
- The NEB will not hesitate to take action if TPNI does not meet regulatory requirements.
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