Actually, there is no real debate. Enbridge wants to run a pipeline across British Columbia and we who will suffer for it don't. Despite a very poor track record of safety, Enbridge is continuing to beat its chest and show just how safe this is going to be. Just recently they have posted this
Enbridge and the Northern Gateway project team have worked hard to ensure this unique project would be built and operated to the highest standards. The measures contained in the Reply Evidence go above and beyond anything that has ever been done before in the industry.
The extra measures include:
Increasing pipeline wall thickness of the oil pipeline
Additional pipeline wall thickness for water crossings such as major tributaries to the Fraser, Skeena and Kitimat Rivers
Increasing the number of remotely-operated isolation valves. This would increase the number of isolation valves in BC by 50%
Increasing frequency of in-line inspection surveys across entire pipeline system by a minimum 50% over and above current standards
Installing dual leak detection systems
Staff pump stations in remote locations on a 24/7 basis for on-site monitoring, heightened security, and rapid response to abnormal conditions
(the above was taken from here)
All of these additions sound really good. Extra monitoring, extra people on the ground to deal with abnormal conditions (that means a burst pipe). Go above and beyond anything that has ever been done in the industry - very impressive.
What Enbridge is not addressing is what happens at Kitimat, and to be honest, I don't blame them. 200 VLCC class tanker will be transiting a very long, narrow and twisted channel every year, and when you add the fact that those 200 need to go out, that will mean one of these ships transiting the passage at least every day, every sunny, windy, stormy, foggy day. Before you even look at the quality of the crew of those vessels, you need to know just how manoeuvrable they are.
They aren't.
By the sheer size of them alone, they can't manoeuvre at all. There is no appeal to the laws of physics. 500,000 tonnes of momentum takes a lot of energy to move. Give them a good stretch of open ocean, these ships are the way to go but don't send them through restricted waters. Enbridge knows all of this but they don't care because once the oil is on the tanker, it no longer is Enbridge at fault if it spills
Enbridge is trying to make pipeline history, good for them. All they need to do is get the stuff to Kitimat, from there, they don't care, nor do they need to.
For all of you fighting Enbridge on the ground, keep at it, my fight will be on the sea.
Showing posts with label enbridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label enbridge. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 September 2012
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Economic Impacts
Taken from the CBC news feed
"On Thursday, lawyer Elisabeth Graff was asking Northern Gateway president John Carruthers about the insurance for oil spill disasters when panel chair Sheila Leggett intervened. Leggett reminded Graff that the Edmonton hearings are to focus on the economic impacts of the project and that disaster preparedness is being dealt with at upcoming hearings in B.C"
.
So, the hearing was supposed to be about economic impacts. I wonder what Sheila Leggett thinks the impact would be when there is a spill or a ruptured pipe.
How much does it take to clean up a spill? Does anyone know? $100million, 200? And when the company says, "sorry, we don't have the resources to clean up that mess" what do we do then? How much of an economic impact is having a 1000 gallons of toxic sludge spewed into a river?
Getting the insurance really is a red herring when you get right down to it. So what if you have a $100million dollar policy. The insurance people will fight tooth and nail not to have to pay any of it, and that will leave the mess sitting there, not even being looked at. Just ask the people who are still trying to get the Exxon Valdez mess cleaned. It has been more than 20 years and there is still sludge being pulled off of the beach. The impact of that pipeline will be negative, no matter how much insurance Enbridge has.
One spill, one tanker going aground, one pipe rupture - any benefit to BC is gone.
"On Thursday, lawyer Elisabeth Graff was asking Northern Gateway president John Carruthers about the insurance for oil spill disasters when panel chair Sheila Leggett intervened. Leggett reminded Graff that the Edmonton hearings are to focus on the economic impacts of the project and that disaster preparedness is being dealt with at upcoming hearings in B.C"
.
So, the hearing was supposed to be about economic impacts. I wonder what Sheila Leggett thinks the impact would be when there is a spill or a ruptured pipe.
How much does it take to clean up a spill? Does anyone know? $100million, 200? And when the company says, "sorry, we don't have the resources to clean up that mess" what do we do then? How much of an economic impact is having a 1000 gallons of toxic sludge spewed into a river?
Getting the insurance really is a red herring when you get right down to it. So what if you have a $100million dollar policy. The insurance people will fight tooth and nail not to have to pay any of it, and that will leave the mess sitting there, not even being looked at. Just ask the people who are still trying to get the Exxon Valdez mess cleaned. It has been more than 20 years and there is still sludge being pulled off of the beach. The impact of that pipeline will be negative, no matter how much insurance Enbridge has.
One spill, one tanker going aground, one pipe rupture - any benefit to BC is gone.
A Time to be Heard
So there it is, where Enbridge wants to put down its pipe. Have a good look at it and then have a seat. On October 22, come down to the legislative lawn and sit there. Tell Cristy Clark that we don't want the pipe cutting our province in half. It isn't about the money, it is about when the pipe will rupture - not if but when. We don't want to watch it destroy the environment only to wait for the pipe to blow apart. You just can't clean up that mess, not that Enbridge would do any more than the half efforts they have put into any of the other clean up jobs they have had.
The 22nd. Be there, have a seat and be heard.
Sunday, 9 September 2012
At the end of the pipe
So far, most of the discussion I have heard has dealt with the pipeline that Enbridge wants us to believe will be good and safe. Just for a moment thou, let's not dwell on getting the gunk from Alberta to Kitimat. What happens to the stuff once it leaves Kitimat?
This is a photo of the crude oil supertanker AbQaiq.This is what carries the heavy black crude over to China. This ship is in the Very Large Crude Carrier class, approximately 1500 feet long, by 200 feet wide and draws around 60 feet of water. It will require 200 of these every year to carry away the oil that will be deposited at Kitimat, each one the length of 5 football fields, and weighing in at 300,000 dead weight tons. These ships are huge and to get one to move, or stop, or change direction requires a huge amount of energy. Momentum is one of those laws of physics we have to live with.
How is Enbridge going to assure us that these huge boats are going to be safe traversing the narrow channels leading from the open sea to Kitimat? Ships that will to be moving back and forth at least every other day, in the sun shine, in the fog, in the hail, in the storms - lots of these up there, not so heavy wave action but the channels are really great at directing all that moving air into one direction.
The answer is really simple,
Enbridge doesn't care.
Why should they? All Enbridge needs to do is get the oil to Kitimat. The people who want to buy the stuff are responsible from there. Some of those people are the very same as those who were responsible for the Exxon Valdez. You remember that don't you? March 24, 1989 the Exxon Valdez went aground in Prince William Sound, spilling some 15million gallons of crude into the water.
From Wikipedia, there were numerous factors that created this disaster, the top three are listed below
Exxon Shipping Company failed to supervise the master and provide a rested and sufficient crew for Exxon Valdez. The NTSB found this was widespread throughout the industry, prompting a safety recommendation to Exxon and to the industry.
The third mate failed to properly maneuver the vessel, possibly due to fatigue or excessive workload.
Exxon Shipping Company failed to properly maintain the Raytheon Collision Avoidance System (RAYCAS)radar, which, if functional, would have indicated to the third mate an impending collision with the Bligh Reef by detecting the "radar reflector", placed on the next rock inland from Bligh Reef for the purpose of keeping boats on course via radar
These three things, and yes, the "Master" was down below, sleeping off a bender (naval term for drinking binge). Now, while I have met many Masters who are horrified to be associated with Captain Hazelwood, there still will be 200 of these vessels, every year and it will only take one to destroy life as it exists for generations. And yes, generations. 30 years later and the people of Prince William Sound are still finding pockets of gunk buried in the rocks. Enbridge doesn't care about what happens after Kitimat. All it has to do is get the crude there, then it is someone else's insurance.
This is a photo of the crude oil supertanker AbQaiq.This is what carries the heavy black crude over to China. This ship is in the Very Large Crude Carrier class, approximately 1500 feet long, by 200 feet wide and draws around 60 feet of water. It will require 200 of these every year to carry away the oil that will be deposited at Kitimat, each one the length of 5 football fields, and weighing in at 300,000 dead weight tons. These ships are huge and to get one to move, or stop, or change direction requires a huge amount of energy. Momentum is one of those laws of physics we have to live with.
How is Enbridge going to assure us that these huge boats are going to be safe traversing the narrow channels leading from the open sea to Kitimat? Ships that will to be moving back and forth at least every other day, in the sun shine, in the fog, in the hail, in the storms - lots of these up there, not so heavy wave action but the channels are really great at directing all that moving air into one direction.
The answer is really simple,
Enbridge doesn't care.
Why should they? All Enbridge needs to do is get the oil to Kitimat. The people who want to buy the stuff are responsible from there. Some of those people are the very same as those who were responsible for the Exxon Valdez. You remember that don't you? March 24, 1989 the Exxon Valdez went aground in Prince William Sound, spilling some 15million gallons of crude into the water.
From Wikipedia, there were numerous factors that created this disaster, the top three are listed below
Exxon Shipping Company failed to supervise the master and provide a rested and sufficient crew for Exxon Valdez. The NTSB found this was widespread throughout the industry, prompting a safety recommendation to Exxon and to the industry.
The third mate failed to properly maneuver the vessel, possibly due to fatigue or excessive workload.
Exxon Shipping Company failed to properly maintain the Raytheon Collision Avoidance System (RAYCAS)radar, which, if functional, would have indicated to the third mate an impending collision with the Bligh Reef by detecting the "radar reflector", placed on the next rock inland from Bligh Reef for the purpose of keeping boats on course via radar
These three things, and yes, the "Master" was down below, sleeping off a bender (naval term for drinking binge). Now, while I have met many Masters who are horrified to be associated with Captain Hazelwood, there still will be 200 of these vessels, every year and it will only take one to destroy life as it exists for generations. And yes, generations. 30 years later and the people of Prince William Sound are still finding pockets of gunk buried in the rocks. Enbridge doesn't care about what happens after Kitimat. All it has to do is get the crude there, then it is someone else's insurance.
Friday, 7 September 2012
It Sucks to have it written down
Well, I thought that I was finished with Enbridge, at least for the moment. Sometimes it pays to be wrong. At lunch today I heard a clip from the Joint Review Panel for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project. That link was just part one of the panel, held on Sept 4, in Edmonton. The complete transcripts for the three day panel can be found here. Of what I heard during the clip, there will be some very interesting and entertaining reading to be found here. I hope to be able to get the sound clips together so you can hear them as well.
The truth is out there, we only have to repeat it enough times until everyone understands what we are facing.
My thanks to Kirk Mason at 100.3 The Q for digging this up and putting it on the air.
Cheers and standby for some of the more entertaining points of the panel.
The truth is out there, we only have to repeat it enough times until everyone understands what we are facing.
My thanks to Kirk Mason at 100.3 The Q for digging this up and putting it on the air.
Cheers and standby for some of the more entertaining points of the panel.
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
What has happened, will happen
Strong is the pipe
Those building it will speak of
It will be safe
The sludge pushes through
Hot, toxic and corrosive
Wear on the strength
One tiny flaw
Pushed beyond all design specs
Black rain spews
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Its The Real Thing
A couple of posts ago, I posted a link to the Animated Route Video that Enbridge provided for us to show just how nice and pretty things will be. Well, they have changed the video saying this is "broadly representational, not to scale". Too bad they didn't change the tail end that shows Douglas Channel as a wide open route to the sea.
This is the route video the Enbridge put together. Note at the 40 second mark you can see the "broadly representational, not to scale" wide open Douglas Channel, complete with a little tanker.
This is real, the real lakes the pipe will be crossing beside, the real rivers, the real Douglas Channel. Note the 1:20 mark, that view is looking west, where the big open area that Enbridge put that tanker. Those islands in the background, they are real, and the passages between them are real too, real narrow and real twisted.
This is the route video the Enbridge put together. Note at the 40 second mark you can see the "broadly representational, not to scale" wide open Douglas Channel, complete with a little tanker.
This is real, the real lakes the pipe will be crossing beside, the real rivers, the real Douglas Channel. Note the 1:20 mark, that view is looking west, where the big open area that Enbridge put that tanker. Those islands in the background, they are real, and the passages between them are real too, real narrow and real twisted.
Friday, 17 August 2012
Those who rate no pity
The spin doctors of the world. The people who do their best to make us see something that really isn't there. How many times have you encountered one and thought "how do you live with yourself? Have you no shame?" What is it about some people who can come up with these deceptions day after day?
I just encountered one such person today. Up here in British Columbia, we are dealing with Enbridge wanting to build a pipeline through our province. The pipeline will end at Kitimat and really that is where the problem for me begins. From Kitimat the sludge from that pipe will be shipped to China. Now, I really am not to worried about who is buying the sludge, what is bothering me is Douglas Channel. Douglas Channel the route the oil tankers will take to get to China. Enbridge put an animated video together showing part a very sanitized version of the route. The picture below shows one section of the video. On the left is a part of the the video. On the right is what really exists
There is a huge movement here, trying to get the rest of BC to see what is really happening. I wrote to Enbridge about this picture. I cc'd that email to the Premier and two different news outlets. I received a reply from them today. The spin doctor the replied said that some environmentalists are trying to smear our good name. The video you were referring to was meant to be an illustration only. Illustration? Illustration of what?
What did this person give up to be able to spin the lies and deceptions of Enbridge? How can the person who wrote me blame the environmentalists for the what Enbridge put on the website.
I would pity this person, but I can't. There is nothing there to pity.
I just encountered one such person today. Up here in British Columbia, we are dealing with Enbridge wanting to build a pipeline through our province. The pipeline will end at Kitimat and really that is where the problem for me begins. From Kitimat the sludge from that pipe will be shipped to China. Now, I really am not to worried about who is buying the sludge, what is bothering me is Douglas Channel. Douglas Channel the route the oil tankers will take to get to China. Enbridge put an animated video together showing part a very sanitized version of the route. The picture below shows one section of the video. On the left is a part of the the video. On the right is what really exists
What did this person give up to be able to spin the lies and deceptions of Enbridge? How can the person who wrote me blame the environmentalists for the what Enbridge put on the website.
I would pity this person, but I can't. There is nothing there to pity.
Monday, 6 August 2012
The pipe to the future
Enbridge wants to build a pipeline from Alberta to the west Coast of British Columbia. They are touting this as a wonderful experience, a way forward for Canada.
A long time ago, I would have believed that this was a good idea. I would have known that the Masters at the helm of those tankers are competent, sober and on the bridge. I would have known that Enbridge wants to do it right, to make it safe, to ensure that the land is clean and habitable once the pipe is done. I would have known that the people who are making the decisions had my best interests in mind.
A long time ago when I was young and foolish.
That was then, today I see things a bit differently.
I know that the water ways leading to Kitimat (the seaward end of the pipeline) are beautiful, serene waters, teeming with wildlife. I know just how tight some of those passages are that need to be traversed because I have been there aboard a very manoeuvrable ship, manned by the best people on those ships. I have been there with the Master of the vessel on the bridge keeping a close eye on
everything. I shudder at the thought of seeing a tanker with very limited manoeuvrability go through some of those passages. One wrong order, one moment too long to respond to a change in the conditions and we have a disaster.
I have heard numerous reports of spills of the pipelines the Enbridge have built. For a month it seems
like everyday there was another report of 10,000 gallons here, or a river being flooded over there. Enbridge has made some vague promises of double strength over the river crossings and more monitoring and better response. And again, I see another 10,000 gallons spilt over there. Enbridge wants me to believe they can do better over a much harsher terrain.
I have seen the value of those who are making the decisions. Absolutely not is said one day, the next day it is we have some concerns, the next it is well they are going to get more money than we will.
What are they going to say tomorrow when it gets reported that there are people who want the pipe run through their space.
All of this crap is being bandied about - one side saying boo hiss it is a disaster in the making, the other saying it will be safe, it will be clean, it will be good. The bottom line is that it will make little benefit to anyone but to China, where this oil will go. We stand waiting for the disaster to happen and for what? A few paltry dollars? Will that mean anything when the sea around our coast is dead? Will those who have no food, no lively hood be happy knowing that British Columbia will be making a few extra dollars?
Yesterday I saw things as I wanted to believe, today I am seeing them as they are
A long time ago, I would have believed that this was a good idea. I would have known that the Masters at the helm of those tankers are competent, sober and on the bridge. I would have known that Enbridge wants to do it right, to make it safe, to ensure that the land is clean and habitable once the pipe is done. I would have known that the people who are making the decisions had my best interests in mind.
A long time ago when I was young and foolish.
That was then, today I see things a bit differently.
I know that the water ways leading to Kitimat (the seaward end of the pipeline) are beautiful, serene waters, teeming with wildlife. I know just how tight some of those passages are that need to be traversed because I have been there aboard a very manoeuvrable ship, manned by the best people on those ships. I have been there with the Master of the vessel on the bridge keeping a close eye on
everything. I shudder at the thought of seeing a tanker with very limited manoeuvrability go through some of those passages. One wrong order, one moment too long to respond to a change in the conditions and we have a disaster.
I have heard numerous reports of spills of the pipelines the Enbridge have built. For a month it seems
like everyday there was another report of 10,000 gallons here, or a river being flooded over there. Enbridge has made some vague promises of double strength over the river crossings and more monitoring and better response. And again, I see another 10,000 gallons spilt over there. Enbridge wants me to believe they can do better over a much harsher terrain.
I have seen the value of those who are making the decisions. Absolutely not is said one day, the next day it is we have some concerns, the next it is well they are going to get more money than we will.
What are they going to say tomorrow when it gets reported that there are people who want the pipe run through their space.
All of this crap is being bandied about - one side saying boo hiss it is a disaster in the making, the other saying it will be safe, it will be clean, it will be good. The bottom line is that it will make little benefit to anyone but to China, where this oil will go. We stand waiting for the disaster to happen and for what? A few paltry dollars? Will that mean anything when the sea around our coast is dead? Will those who have no food, no lively hood be happy knowing that British Columbia will be making a few extra dollars?
Yesterday I saw things as I wanted to believe, today I am seeing them as they are
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