CALGARY, Oct. 17, 2013 /CNW/ – The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) is responding to a pipeline rupture on the Nova Gas Transmission Ltd (NGTL) pipeline system 140 kilometres west of Fort McMurray, AB owned and operated by TransCanada Pipelines Ltd (TransCanada). The release was reported to the NEB early this morning. The size of the release has yet to be determined by the NEB. There is no immediate safety concern for local residents and precautions are being taken to ensure continued public safety.
The release of sweet natural gas occurred on crown land along the pipeline right-of-way. The pipeline has been shut down to prevent additional gas from being released into the environment.
A member of the NEB’s Emergency Response Team has been deployed and will be onsite to monitor and assess the company’s immediate response, investigation and eventual environmental remediation. Representatives from TransCanada are on the ground securing and assessing the incident site. First responders and local First Nations groups have also been notified.
In an emergency, the Board works with federal, provincial and territorial partners to coordinate the regulatory response. The NEB’s priority in any emergency is to make sure that people are safe and the environment is protected.
The National Energy Board holds regulated companies fully responsible and accountable for responding in a manner that protects the public, property and the environment. This includes clean-up and site remediation. The Board’s long-term goal with any incident is the full restoration and re-vegetation of the site including any potential effects on sub-surface groundwater. We do not relax our expectations of a company, or our response, regardless of the size of the incident.
This news release is available on the NEB’s Internet site at www.neb-one.gc.ca under What’s New!
SOURCE Government of Canada
Rebecca Taylor
Communications Advisor
Telephone: 403-299-3371
E-mail: Rebecca.Taylor@neb-one.gc.ca
TTY (teletype): 1-800-632-1663