CALGARY, ALBERTA — (Marketwired) — 06/23/13 — Enbridge Pipelines (Athabasca) Inc., a subsidiary of Enbridge Inc., (TSX: ENB)(NYSE: ENB) shut down and isolated its Line 37 pipeline north of Cheecham, Alberta, at 5:21 a.m. MDT today after our leak detection system detected a potential release from the line.
Field personnel were immediately mobilized to investigate. Light synthetic oil was discovered on the ground approximately two kilometers north of our Cheecham Terminal, approximately 70 kilometres southeast of Ft McMurray.
Initial estimates place the volume of the release at approximately 750 barrels. We are still investigating the cause, however we believe that unusually heavy rains in the area may have resulted in ground movement on the right-of way that may have impacted the pipeline. As a precaution, all other Enbridge pipelines in the area have been shut down including the Athabasca and Waupisoo pipelines.
Enbridge first responders with equipment are on-site and have installed booms which has contained product at the site and the local water bodies. There have been no reports of harm to wildlife.
An Incident Command System has been initiated that will continue around the clock and responders and support resources have been dispatched from Fort McMurray, Lac La Biche, Edmonton, Hardisty, Alberta and Kerrobert, Saskatchewan.
Line 37 was constructed in 2006 and is a 12-inch diameter pipeline that is 17-kilometers long and connects facilities in the Long Lake area to Cheecham and is part of Enbridge–s Athabasca system.
Enbridge notified the Alberta Energy Regulator and are working with them, including Alberta Environment, government officials and local aboriginal communities. Enbridge will work with regulators and our community partners to insure this situation is resolved safely and as quickly as possible.
For more information on Enbridge–s regional pipeline systems, visit: .
About Enbridge Inc.
Enbridge Inc., a Canadian company, is a North American leader in delivering energy and one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world–s longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering, transmission and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada–s largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. As a generator of energy, Enbridge has interests in more than 1,600 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity and is expanding its interests in wind and solar energy and geothermal. Enbridge employs approximately 10,000 people, primarily in Canada and the U.S. and is ranked as one of Canada–s Greenest Employers, and one of the Top 100 Companies to Work for in Canada. Enbridge–s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit .
Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate”, “expect”, “project”, “estimate”, “forecast” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Enbridge believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties pertaining to operating performance, regulatory parameters, weather, economic conditions and commodity prices. You can find a discussion of those risks and uncertainties in our Canadian securities filings and American SEC filings. While Enbridge makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Enbridge assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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