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Protection measures would enhance Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac and beyond

Published: June 29, 2018

Enbridge presents three additional reports to the State of Michigan

Early-warning alerts. Rock-solid protection. Low-voltage “spot checks.”

They’re three of several additional options that Enbridge is exploring as we work with the State of Michigan to safeguard the environment and energy infrastructure, while determining the long-term future of our Line 5 light crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline.

Today, as part of our agreement established back in November, we delivered three comprehensive studies to the State of Michigan, addressing the following topics:

“Measures identified in these studies can further protect the Great Lakes, and other Michigan natural resources, beyond the suite of preventative safety measures that we already apply to Line 5,” says Guy Jarvis, Enbridge’s Executive Vice President of Liquids Pipelines.

In the area of anchor-strike mitigation, Vesper Marine’s web-based Guardian:protect communications system would actively monitor, and has the capability of communicating with, shipping vessels approaching the dual Line 5 pipelines that travel across the bottom of the Straits—issuing proactive advisory messages and reactive warning messages.

Meanwhile, a protective cover of gravel and rock, at least six feet thick, is a potential solution that would act as a barrier for protecting the Line 5 pipelines against an anchor strike.

“Our reliability consultants tell us that Vesper Marine’s Guardian:protect system would reduce the chances of an unintentional anchor strike and product release by 89 percent,” says Mr. Jarvis. “And an engineered gravel-rock protective cover has a very strong offshore track record, in terms of anchor-strike protection, in some of the world’s busiest harbors.”

The leak detection and coating integrity assessment reports:

  • Explored nine different potential technologies to detect coating anomalies along the Line 5 Straits crossing;
  • Examined three underwater external leak detection technologies identified by the State; and
  • Recommended a Cathodic Protection Close-internal Survey (CP CIS), which we’ll be carrying out this summer, to strengthen our cathodic protection and coating measures.

The water crossings safety enhancements report:

  • Prioritized 74 other Line 5 water crossings in Michigan; and
  • Proposed additional actions on top of our existing programs, to assess measures that could be taken to mitigate risk and consequences.

As with Enbridge’s previous studies submitted to the State of Michigan, these three assessments are the product of coordinated efforts between State-appointed experts, independent consultants considered leaders in their respective fields, and internal Enbridge teams.

“The bottom line is that Enbridge is working with the State openly and with transparency to determine the best path forward for Line 5,” says Mr. Jarvis.

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