Continue efforts for pipeline safety

The NDP Opposition’s recently announced proposal to put expiry dates on pipelines in Saskatchewan is highly problematic for a number of reasons.

First of all, it is not based upon science or best practice. The reality is that the safest and most effective pipeline performance practices involve inspection and testing programs that address sitespecific internal and external integrity. The age of a pipeline is not an effective indicator of its safety performance.

Secondly, removing pipelines based upon arbitrary dates will significantly increase the amount of disturbance to the land. Consider for example the amount of farm, pasture, commercial, and residential land that would routinely need to be dug up in order to do this. Finally, imposing costs of this potential magnitude on vital pipeline infrastructure would have significant ramifications for owners and operators, and would ultimately cost jobs, rather than create them. In addition, this proposal would drive up the cost of oil and natural gas for the regular consumer.

Saskatchewan should continue to improve pipeline safety by the use of effective regulations and ever-evolving industry practices that consistently engage new technology. Brad Herald, vice-president Western Canada operations, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers