National Energy Board responds to Enbridge gas pipeline rupture

Enbridge has indicated that the 36 inch pipeline ruptured at approximately 5:30 pm PDT on October 9 in a remote area, and no injuries have been reported. Residents of the nearby Lheidli T’enneh First Nation were evacuated as a precaution.

The company immediately shut down and depressurized the pipeline. As of midnight October 9, the company reported that the gas had dissipated from the area and the fire had been extinguished.

The NEB has activated its Emergency Operation Centre in Calgary, AB, and four staff have been deployed to the site, including; two Emergency Management Specialists, a Technical Specialist of Pipeline Integrity, and a Safety Officer. The NEB will be part of the Incident Command Post.

Partners involved in the emergency response efforts include Enbridge, the NEB, Emergency Management British Columbia, Fortis, the BC Ministry of Environment, BC Oil and Gas Commission, City of Prince George, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Indigenous Services Canada, Regional District Fraser-Fort George and the Northern Health Authority.

The NEB’s priority in any emergency is to make sure that people are safe and that property and the environment is protected. The NEB will remain on site to verify that all reasonable actions are being taken to protect workers, the public and the environment.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is responsible for the investigation into this incident. The NEB will work closely with the TSB on the investigation. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada’s energy industry. It regulates pipelines, energy development and trade in the public interest with safety as its primary concern. For more information on the NEB and its mandate, please visit www.neb-one.gc.ca.

The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada’s energy industry. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest. For more information on the NEB and its mandate, please visit www.neb-one.gc.ca.