National Energy Board issues Safety Order to Westcoast Energy Inc.

CALGARY, July 14, 2015 /CNW/ – The National Energy Board (NEB) has issued an NEB Safety Order to Westcoast Energy Inc. carrying on business as Spectra Energy Transmission (Westcoast).

The NEB Safety Order includes the following requirements:

• Westcoast must submit, for NEB approval, Staffing Reports for all of its NEB-regulated gas processing plants and facilities by August 14, 2015;
• Westcoast must submit, for NEB approval, a comprehensive report that identifies and commits to a plan that will address its existing management system failures by September 30, 2015; and,
• Westcoast must examine and address all non-compliances identified by NEB Inspection Officers between April 1, 2014 and July 14, 2015 across all Westcoast processing plants and facilities.

The NEB notes that, while Westcoast has adopted a proactive approach to safety and environmental protection, an NEB Safety Order is required to ensure continued progress toward implementation of a management system approach to safety and environmental protection. 

Public safety and the protection of the environment are the NEB’s top priorities.

The NEB requires pipeline companies to anticipate, prevent, manage and mitigate potentially dangerous conditions associated with their pipelines.

The NEB conducts inspections of regulated companies to ensure adherence to regulations. Enforcement action is taken when companies are found to be in non-compliance with regulations. An NEB Safety Order provides direction and assurance that regulated companies address systemic non-compliance matters.

The Board Safety Order is available on the NEB web site at www.neb-one.gc.ca

The NEB is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada’s energy industry with the safety of Canadians and protection of the environment as its top priority. 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.

SOURCE National Energy Board

For further information: Darin Barter, National Energy Board Communications, Cellular: 403-837-5267, E-mail: darin.barter@neb-one.gc.ca