SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Today Enbridge crews continued to use a combination of nitrogen and trailer-mounted flare stacks to safely evacuate and burn off remaining vapors in the isolated one-mile section of Line 5 near a site impacted by a third-party line strike in northern Wisconsin.
Flare stacks safely burn excess hydrocarbon vapors in a controlled and planned manner.
Extensive air monitoring at the flare site, the incident site, and in the surrounding area continues to show safe air quality outside of the evacuation zone and where crews are working. However, the exclusion zone remains around the active incident site, and the “no-fly” zone continues over the site issued by the Iron County Sheriff.
On Tuesday, Aug. 25, a parked and unoccupied third-party subcontractor flatbed truck delivering equipment to the site rolled forward into an open excavation at a Line 5 valve project, striking the pipe and releasing natural gas liquids (NGLs), mainly propane and butane. NGLs are transported by pipeline as liquids, but when exposed to normal outdoor conditions, rapidly vaporize into gases.
No one was injured. As a precaution, a nearby rural home was evacuated. The affected section of pipe was immediately isolated, and Line 5 remains shut down.
Enbridge continues to progress towards the goal of safely restoring service to the pipeline by Sept. 5.
Line 5 is critical energy infrastructure serving 10 refineries and propane production facilities delivering affordable energy to millions of consumers in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions.
Updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
Courtesy: www.enbridge.com
