Growing Canadian Production Will Supply U.S. through Expanded Pipeline System
Canadian exports, consistently the United States’ number one source of imported crude oil and refined products, have averaged almost 2.5 million barrels a day (mbd) so far this year. Pipeline supplies of crude oil to the Northern Tier – the area bordering Canada from the Great Lakes to the Pacific – are critical since most of that oil is the feedstock for the refineries in the Midwest.
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Commentary from AOPL Chairman:
Pipelines and Ethanol
Pipelines are an efficient, safe, economic and reliable way to transport large volumes of liquid fuels. However, there are operational and technical issues associated with the potential transportation of ethanol in pipeline systems, including the possibility of “stress corrosion cracking.” Targeted industry funded research is underway (see the related article on research and development) and we will report back to you as soon as we see the results of these studies.
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CGA Excavation Safety Conference and Expo
March 6 – 8, 2007
 The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), established in 2000 as a continuation of the Common Ground Study which identified best practices relating to damage prevention, is a forum where stakeholders can share information and work together on damage prevention issues. The CGA’s Excavation Safety Conference and Expo was held in Orlando March 6 – 8, 2007.
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National Pipeline Mapping System Reopens Public Map Viewer
The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) is a geographic information system (GIS) created by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) in cooperation with other federal and state governmental agencies and the pipeline industry.
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Research and Development:
Pipeline Transportation of Ethanol
Internal stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been detected in pipeline and terminal facilities used to handle ethanol. SCC, which is hard to predict and to detect, can and has led to system failures. The challenge for the pipeline industry is to gather more information on the environments that support SCC development, the metallurgical factors that affect susceptibility to ethanol SCC, the stress conditions that will promote crack initiation and growth, and the effectiveness of remedial measures. Being able to prevent SCC is critical to pipeline operators being able to both transport ethanol in the existing system and to make investments in new major dedicated ethanol pipelines.
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Movin’ Up and Around in the Federal Agencies
Vice Admiral Thomas J. Barrett, USCG (Ret.) became the Acting Deputy Secretary of Transportation last month.
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Leaders & Community Involvement:
Enbridge official sponsor of Northeastern Illinois Envirothon
Pipeline companies take active roles supporting the communities where they operate. They provide charitable donations, sponsor school programs and train with local emergency response organizations. Enbridge Energy Partners was the 2007 corporate sponsor of the Northeastern Illinois Envirothon, which took place March 19 – 21, 2007. Almost 200 students from nine counties came together to test their environmental knowledge.
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