An invitation only meeting for local residents was held by Pacific Trails Pipelines representatives in Burns Lake last week.
The 42 inch in diameter pipeline is a $60 billion investment that is being developed by partners Apache Canada, Encana and EOG Resources Inc. and will flow natural gas from Summit Lake to Kitimat, crossing South of Burns Lake, near the Bald Hill Road area.
The pipeline will be located within the traditional territories of 15 First Nation communities and it will serve the Kitimat Liquid Natural Gas terminal where the gas will be prepared for export via ship to the Asian marketplace.
The pipeline crosses the traditional territory of the Burns Lake Band and Chief Albert Gerow said to Lakes District News that the Burns Lake Band is in full support of the project.
“The Burns Lake Band along with 14 other First Nations have committed to working with the development of the Pacific Trails Pipeline. The proposed pipeline will provide a much needed economic boost to the Lakes District during construction and the ongoing maintenance, monitoring. Beyond the immediate economic boost that we need, the pipeline project will also begin the economic diversification that Burns Lake needs to be less reliant on a single industry. We look forward to working with Apache Canada and their partners in the successful completion of this project,” Chief Gerow said.
All 15 First Nations groups impacted by the proposed pipeline have formed the First Nations Pacific Trails Pipeline Group Limited Partnership in order to benefit from training, potential employment and economic spin-offs from the proposed pipeline.
Local residents had previously expressed concerns that the pipeline’s proposed route would cross the path of privately owned properties and during last weeks meeting Terry Joubert, commercial manager and vice president for the Pacific Trails Pipeline at the Apache Canada Corporation said that a newly proposed route had been developed because of their concerns.
He cautioned that the new route will now have to be approved as an amendment to the project and would be subject to environmental approval.
The pipeline was pushed onto Crown land just South of the Guyishton Lake Road area.
During the meeting locals also expressed concerns about any possible leaks or explosions from the pipeline.
Joubert said, “What we are doing is taking natural gas from the earth, putting it in pipelines and shipping it. There are many existing pipelines. It is the same as having natural gas piped to your house .... it will be commercial grade gas that will be going through the pipeline. Natural gas is non toxic, non corrosive and won’t burn.”
He said the pipeline will be buried one metre below ground, in some cases such as river crossings it would be up to a minimum of eight metres below ground.
“The pipeline would be coated for protection from corrosion from the outside and would be robust. There is very little corrosion from the inside as natural gas is not corrosive,” he said.
He said the weakest link in the pipeline is when two segments of pipe are welded together but that automated welding and ongoing inspections during construction and throughout the life of the pipeline would monitor any potential leaks.
There is 14 planned valving stations, located every 35 kilometres along the pipeline and Joubert said if the pipeline did rupture the safety valves would shut down and isolate the area.
“If there was a small leak the vegetation would also die off and be noticed during regular pipeline route fly overs. There will be continuous monitoring”
Bob Maxwell senior surface land man for the project said that during construction the pipeline will require a 38 metre wide section of land along the route, which will consist of a three to six metre wide ditch and allow for machinery and piles of soil and sub soil to be stored.
Maxwell said, “Because of the feedback provided to us by community members were are seriously pursuing the reroute to go around the community but there is several steps that need to be taken including engineering and slope stability ... but all indications are thumbs up. Rerouting is an amendment which will require us to go back to the Environmental Assessment Office which will take months ... it is not an over night process. There will also be community consultation, but because it is on Crown land and there is no private property owners it should be okay. We also have to consult with local First Nations and conduct archaeological studies. Assuming all of these steps are completed, we will be able to reroute.”
Local resident Steve Cox asked about the risk of a rupture causing a serious explosion.
Maxwell said, “There is a million times less chance of getting hurt in a car than by a pipeline. It is the safest way to transport natural gas. Pin hole leaks are absorbed into the plants and dry the plant out. Dead vegetation is a sign of a leak. We would have more leaks than ruptures. If we do have a rupture ... it is a mess .... it is not good. If the pipeline does explode we would try to contain it to an 18 metre joint [in the pipeline]. There would be a big hole about 30 metres wide and natural gas would be emitted into the air. If there is any that rocks click together in the explosion it would cause a spark and an explosion, which would burn the soil and the trees and result in a forest fire. The chance of this happening is very remote.”
Locals also asked about potential jobs and economic benefits.
Joubert said the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako would benefit from $4 million in annual property taxes and there would be opportunities for heavy machine operators and truckers during the construction phase. There would also be opportunities for local businesses to service camps and supply goods and services.
“These will be short term jobs and I don’t want to create any illusions that there will be 30 to 40 year jobs created here from this. There will be long term jobs created in Kitimat, but once the pipeline is in the ground very few people will be needed to keep it operating. Also with big inch pipe, labour has to be unionized and this is one of the issues we are looking at. Contractors will have to be unionized. There will be opportunities for sub contractors to rent out equipment but the labour force will have to be unionized. One of our issues will be finding enough labour.”