MANITOBA PIPELINE DECOMMISSIONING
First segment of legacy Line 3 taken safely out of service
Left: Inspector Sandy Armstrong shows a section of pipe following installation of a steel cap. After the pipe segment is cut, a cap is fabricated onto the ends of the pipe and coated with epoxy. This permanently seals the pipeline at that location and backfill can then be completed. Above: Once the cap is in place, backfilling of the excavation begins. For more than 50 years, Enbridge’s Line
consin. Line 93, as the replacement pipe-
3 pipeline ensured the safe and reliable
line is now named, came into service Oc-
delivery of energy from the oilfields of Al-
tober 1st following more than eight years
berta to the Midwestern U.S. and refiner-
of extensive community engagement,
ies across North America.
and thorough environmental, regulatory,
Its legacy continues with a new pipe-
and legal review.
line along essentially the same corridor,
“This was a landmark undertaking that
stretching 1,765 kilometres (1,097 miles)
has redefined how Enbridge builds major
from Edmonton, Alberta to Superior, Wis-
projects,” says Guy Krepps, Line 3 Project
www.delcommunications.com
DIGITAL
Helping your members stay connected is WHAT WE DO. We offer outstanding personal service and quality in the areas of... • Creative Design • Website Design • Advertising Sales • Print and Web Magazine Publications • Online E-newsletters • Online Directories
16
Manitoba Energy Review 2022
Director in Canada. “The new pipeline was designed and executed with state-of-theart construction materials and a strong safety and environmental performance. The level of public engagement, which included Indigenous communities and groups, was unprecedented and led to a better outcome, both for Enbridge and communities near the right of way.” In Canada, Line 93 has been operating since December 2019, leading to a focus on reclaiming the pipeline construction right of way and safely removing the legacy Line 3 pipeline from service, a process known as decommissioning. Decommissioning of the first of four segments began in August and was completed ahead of schedule in Manitoba by mid-October, thanks in part to a very dry summer and fall, with zero safety or environmental incidents. A joint venture of Métis N4 Construc-
