Canadian Natural GasNatural Gas Transmission Pipelines

Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines

nn Pipelinesnfunctionnasnenergynhighways,nandnarenintegralntonprovidingnenergynfornournhomes,nnaturalngasntonservenindustry,nandnanfuelnsourcentongeneratenelectricity.nn

nn Pipelinesnarenthensafestnandnmostnefficientnmeansnofntransportingnnaturalngasnfromnproducingnfieldsntonprocessingnfacilities,nandnfromnproducingnareasntonend-usenconsumersnvianlocalndistributionncompanies.nn

nn Safetynandnenvironmentalnperformancengonhand-in-hand.nnCanadanboastsnannoutstandingnpipelinensystemntontransportnandndelivernnaturalngasntoncustomersnthroughoutnthencontinent.

nn Thensinglenbiggestnthreatntonpipelinensafetyninvolvesnthenunauthorizedndiggingnornactivitynalongnpipelinenrightnofnways.

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natural gas moves up to 40 kilometres per hour,“ ”

Pipelineninfrastructurenexistsntonbringngasntonmarketnandnensurenthenfreenflownofngasnthroughoutnthencontinent.nnNaturalngasnisngenerallyndeliveredndirectlyntonthenconsumernbynpipeline.nHowever,nitnbeginsnthatnjourneynwithngasnwellsnconnectedntonsmall-diametern(fivencentimetresnton15ncentimetres)ngatheringnsystemsnthatntakenthenraw,nunprocessedngasntonangasnprocessingnfacility.nGasnprocessingnfacilities,nusuallynreferredntonasngasnplants,nvaryninnsizenfromnsmallncompressionnfacilitiesnthatnarenmountednonnmoveablenplatformsnandnthatnremovenimpuritiesnandnwaternfromnthengas,ntonlargengasnplantsnthatnalsonremovenhydrocarbonnbyproducts,nsulphurnandncarbonndioxide.nThen“dryngas”n(i.e.ngasnwithnlittlenornnoncondensatenornreservoirnliquids)nmaynthennbencompressednpriorntonitsnmovingnintonthentransmissionnsystemncomprisednofnsteelnpipenfromn50ncentimetresn(20ninches)ntonmorenthannanmetren(39.4ninches)ninndiameter.nnnFinally,nthenprocessedn“sales”ngasnisndistributedntonhomesnandnbusinessesnthroughnpipenwhichnrangesninnsizenfromn1n¼”nton4”ninndiameter.

Gasnflowsnthroughnthensystemnfromnareasnofnhighnpressurentonareasnofnlownpressurenthroughnthenusenofncompressorsnandnturbinesnsimilarntonjetnenginesnthatnincreasenthenpressurenofnthengasnupnton10,300nkilopascalsn(1,500npoundsnpernsquareninch).nnCompressednatnupnton100ntimesnthenpressurenofnthenatmosphere,nnaturalngasnmovesnupnton40nkilometresnpernhour,nwhichnisnapproximatelynthenspeednofnann

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Olympicnrunner.nnMostnlongndistancenmajorntransmissionnlinesngenerallynoperateninnthenrangenofn800-1500npsi.

Compressornstationsnarenplacednatnregularnintervalsnalongnthenpipelinentonincreasenlinenpressure,nwhichndeclinesnasnitntravelsnduentonfrictionngeneratednbynthenmovementnofnthengasnasnitnpassesnthroughnthenpipe.nTransmissionnlinencompressorsnarenmostnoftenndrivennbyngasnturbinesnwithnthennecessarynfuelnbeingntakennfromnthenpipeline.nWherenelectricitynisnpreferable,nelectricnmotorsnmaynbenusedntondrivencompressors.n

Transmissionnsystemsnmoventhengasnacrossngreatndistancesntonlocalndistributionncompaniesnorngasnutilities,nwherenthenpressurenisnreducednandnthengasnentersnandistributionnmainlinenfornlocalndeliveryntonservicenlinesnconnectedntonindividualnhomesnornbusinesses.

There are three main types of pipeline operators: n Producers,nwhonexplore,ndrillnandnextractnrawnnaturalngasnandnoperatenthengatheringnsystemsnnn thatntransportnnaturalngasnfromnthenwellheadntongasnprocessingnplantsnn Pipelinencompaniesnthatnoperatenpipelines,nwhichntransportnnaturalngasnthroughoutnNorthnn American Distributionncompaniesnthatndistributennaturalngasntonhomes,nindustrialnandncommercialnfacilitiesnn withinnlocalncommunities

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Producingnfieldsnarengenerallynthoughtnofnasnbeingninnremotenareasnsomendistancenfromnpopulationncentres;nhowever,nsomenproducingnfieldsnarenadjacentntonornunderliencities.nConsequently,ngatheringnsystemsncannrunnbeneathnwildernessnareas,nfarmland,nandncitiesnandntowns.nnnSimilarly,nhighnpressurentransmissionnpipelinesnexistninnbothnruralnandnurbannsettings.

Naturalngasndistributionnsystemsnarengenerallynfoundninnurbannlocations,ndeliveringnnaturalngasntonhouses,napartmentnblocks,nandncommercialnandnindustrialnbuildings.nInnmostnresidentialnsubdivisionsninnmanynpartsnofnCanada,ntherenisnanservicenlinenconnectingntoneachnhouse.n

Where Pipelines are Located

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Warningnsigns,nasnregulatednbynthenNationalnEnergynBoardn(NEB)nandnvariousnprovincialnregulatorynbodies,narenplacednonneachnsidenofnhighway,nroad,nrailwaynornwatercoursencrossingsnandnatnsuitablenintervalsnalongnthenpipelinentonclearlynandncontinuouslynmarknthenpipeline’snlocationnthroughnurbannareasnandnalongnthenright-of-waysnofnroadsnornhighways.

ThenprovisionnofnnaturalngasnisncriticalntonmeetingnNorthnAmerica’snneedsnfornenergyntonheatnhomesnandnbusinesses,ntongeneratenelectricity,npowernmanufacturingnplants,nfuelntransportation,nandnasnanrawnmaterialnfornanrangenofnproducts.nnCustomersnrelynonnournindustryntonprovidensafenandnuninterruptedntransportationnofnnaturalngasnandntondonthat,nournindustrynensuresnfacilitiesnandnequipmentnarenproperlynmaintainednandnmonitored.nnItnisnanresponsibilitynthatnpipelinencompaniesntakenverynseriously.nn

Tonbalancensupplynandndemand,nseveralnnaturalngasncompaniesnoperatenstoragenfacilitiesninndepletednoilnandngasnfieldsnandnundergroundnsaltncaverns.nThenlargestnstoragenfacilitiesnarenlocatedninncentralnandneasternnAlbertanandnsouthwesternnOntario.n

Right-of-waysnarenrecognizednasncorridorsnclearnofntrees,nbuildingsnandnothernstructuresnandnarenclearlynmarkednbynwarningnsigns.nProvincialnregulatorynbodiesnestablishnconstructionnstandards,nincludingndeterminingnthenminimumndepthnofnearthnovernanpipeline.nnHowever,nduentonhumannactivitynand/ornerosion,nthendepthnmaynbenshallower,nsonextremencautionnmustnbentakennwhennexcavatingnnearnanpipeline.nnnRegulatorynbodies,nbentheynthenNEBnornprovincialnagencies,nalsonmaintainnrecordsnofnthenlocationnofnallnnaturalngasnpipelines.

Right of Way

Importance of reliability

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ThenDawnnHub,nlocatedn35nkmnsoutheastnofnSarnianinnsouthwesternnOntario,nisnthenlargestnundergroundnstoragenfacilityninnCanadanandnonenofnthenlargestninnNorthnAmerica.nnAngasntradingnhubnwithnannintegratednnetworknofn23ndepletedngasnpools,nthenDawnnHubnprovidesnenhancednreliabilitynandnoffersndistributionnandnpipelinencompanies,npowerngeneratorsnandnenergynmarketersnannimportantnlinkninnthentransmissionnofnnaturalngasnfromnWesternnCanadanandnUSnsupplynbasinsntonmarketsninncentralnCanada,nthenGreatnLakesnregionnandnthenUSnNortheast.nnnTennmajornpipelinesnhaveninterconnectionsninnthenDawnnareanprovidingnanvarietynofnsupplynoptions.nnThisnintegrationnmeansnshippersncannsourcennaturalngasnfromnallnmajornNorthnAmericannsupplynbasinsnandn

transportngasndownstreamntonmarketsninnEasternnCanadanandnthenNEnUnitednStates,nornupstream,ntonmarketsninnthenmid-westernnUS.

Thesenstoragenfacilitiesnallowngasntonbenstorednandnwithdrawn,nasndemandnrequiresnit.nThisnprovidesnanmoderatingneffectnonnpricesnandnensuresnthenconsistentnandnreliablendeliverynofnnaturalngasntonmeetnthenneednfornenergynasnandnwhennit’snneeded.

Thenconsistentnandnreliablendeliverynofnnaturalngasnisnalsonservednbynannintegrated,ncontinentalnpipelinennetwork.nnThenNorthnAmericannpipelinengridnisninterconnected,nefficient,nexpandablenandnhighlynreliable.nnItnthereforenprovidesnflexibilityninnthensourcingnandndeliverynofnnaturalngasnandnensuresnan

robustnnaturalngasnmarketplacenwhichnhelpsnkeepnpricesncompetitive.nnn

Pipelinencompaniesnknownthatntheirnsuccessnisndeterminednbyntheirnabilityntonprovidensafenandnreliablenservicentontheirncustomers.nnTheynarenthereforencommittedntonensuringnsystemnintegritynandnreliability,nandnhavenmadenon-goingninvestmentsninnthenmaintenancenofntheirninfrastructure.nnOurnpipelinensystemnhasnbeennconstructednovernmanyndecades,nwithnhundredsnofnkilometresnconstructednandninstalledneachnyear.nnNumerousnupgradesnhavenbeennmadentonthensystemnovernthenyears,nandncomprehensivenandnongoingnmaintenancenprogramsneffectivelynmanagenstructuralnintegritynandnthensafenandnreliablenoperationnofnthisnnetwork.nnThenindustrynisncontinuallynmonitoringnandnupgradingnthenpipelinensystem,nandnitnemploysnrigorousnandncomprehensivenintegritynmanagementnprograms.nn

Pipelinencompaniesnarengovernednbynconstructionnstandards,nmaterialnspecificationsnandnregulatorynrequirementsnwhichnaddressnon-goingnsafety.nnFornexample,nthenpipenisnmanufacturednfromnhigh-strengthncarbonnsteelnwithnanspecialncoatingn(cathodicnprotection)ntonprotectnitnfromn

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corrosion.nnPipelinencompaniesnoperatenprogramsntoncontinuallyninspect,ntestnandnundertakenpredictivenassessments.nn

Rigorousnpreventativenmeasuresnhelpntonensurenthenstructuralnintegritynofnthenpipenandnwithnroutineninspectionnandnongoingnmaintenance,nanpipelinensystemncannsupportnthengatheringnandntransmissionnofnnaturalngasnsafelynandnreliablynovernmanyndecades.nnWithnproperninspectionnandnon-goingnmaintenance,npipelinesndonnotndeterioratenwithnagenandncannlastnindefinitely.

PipelinencompaniesninnCanadanhavenannexcellentnperformancenandnsafetynrecordnandnpipelinesnrepresentnthenmostnefficientnandnsafestnmodenofntransportationnusedntonmovenfuelnproducts.

Tonensurenpublicnsafetynwhilenprovidingnreliablenservicentoncustomers,nexperiencednandnhighlyntrainednpersonnelnoperatenandnmaintainnthesenpipelinesnandnfacilitiesnusingnthoroughlyntestednproceduresn

Commitment to Safety

PhotonCourtesynofnTridentnExplorationnCorp.

Canadian Electricity Generation Portfolio - 1990 to 2007

2% 4% 5% 6%

16% 15%19% 18%

62% 60%

60% 60%

16% 18%13% 14%

4% 3% 4% 3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1990 1995 2000 2007Source: NRCan End Use Database

Other

Nuclear

Hydro

Coal

Natural Gas

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andnstandards,nwhilenadheringntonstrictnregulations.

Fieldnpersonnelninspectnthenpipelines,nperformnpipelinensafetynmeasuresnsuchnasncathodicnprotection,nandnconductnmaintenancenandnrepairsntonthenpipeline,npumps,ncompressors,nvalves,nmeteringnequipment,nelectronicnequipment,nandncalibratingninstruments.nnRoutineninspectionsnofnthenpipesn–nbothninternalnandnexternaln--narenconductedntonensurenthenintegritynofnthenpipelinensystem.nThendevicesnusedntoncleannandninspectntheninsidesnofnpipelinesnarencalledn“pigs”n(becausenthenearlynmodelsnreportedlynsquealednlikenanpigletnasntheynmovednthroughnthenpipe).nOriginally,npigsnwerensimplyncleaningndevices,nwithnscrapersntonremovenwaxnbuild-up.nnMorenrecently,nelectronicndevicesnhavenbeennaddedntoncreaten“smartnpigs”nfornpipelineninspection.nnPipelinencompaniesnalsonconductnexternalninspectionsnofnthenpipelinenroutenincludingnvisualninspectionsnofnrisersnandnmeternstations,nandnaerialninspectionsnofnthenpipelinenrightnofnwaynbynhelicoptern(particularlyninnremotenlocations)ntonensurentherenisnnonvisiblendisturbancentonthengroundnornintrusionsnonnthenpipelinenrightnofnway.nnOn-goingnmonitoringnofnthenpipelinensystemnisnprovidednbyn

gasncontrolnpersonnelnwhonarenresponsiblenfornmonitoringnthenmovementnandnpressurenofngasnwithinnthenpipelinensystemn24nhoursnanday.n

EmergencynShut-downn(ESD)nornline-breaknvalvesnarenlocatednalongnpipelinesnasnanmeansntonisolatenanynanomaliesninnpressurenornflownandntonpurgengasnfromnthenlinentonenablenanynplannednornunplannednmaintenancenandnrepairs.nnManynofnthesenvalvesncannbenopenednornshutnremotely,nenablingnrapidnisolationnandnprotectionnofnthenpipelinensystemnupstreamnandndownstreamnofnthenlocationn

requiringnactivity.nFinally,npipelinencompaniesnhavendevelopedndetailednandncomprehensivenemergencynresponsenplansnandnincidentninvestigationnproceduresnfocusednonnsafeguardingnthenpublicnandnpersonnel,ninvestigatingnthenrootncausenofnanynincidentnthatnmaynoccur,nandnsharingnkeynlearnings.

Thensinglenlargestnthreatntonpipelinensafetyninvolvesnthenunauthorizedndiggingnornactivitynalongnpipelinenrightnofnways.nnOurnindustrynbelievesnthatnthenmostneffectivenDamagenPreventionnprogramninvolvesnancomprehensivenapproachntonenforcementnthatnincludesnansystemnofngraduatednpenalties,nwhichncorrespondsnwithnthenincreasingnlevelnofnoffence.nnThenCanadiannEnergynPipelinenAssociationnhasncallednfornamendmentsntonexistingnlegislationntonallownfornthenestablishmentnofnangraduatedncivilnpenaltynmatrix.nn

Monitoring gas flows and pressures at a gas control centre

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Innthenmeantime,npipelinencompaniesnarenhardnatnworkneducatingnlandowners,nthenpublic,nandncontractorsnaboutnpipelinensafetynandnhowntonrecognizenandnreactntonunusualnactivityninnthenarea.nnManynarenmembersnofnthenCommonnGroundnAlliancen–nannon-profitnorganizationndedicatedntonsharednresponsibilityninndamagenpreventionn--nandntonOne-Callnsystems,nwhichnprovidenanone-stopnservicenforncontractorsnandnthenpublicntondeterminenifntherenarenburiednpipelinesninntheirnvicinity,npriorntonthencommencementnofnanyngroundndisturbance.

Ournindustrynunderstandsnthatngoodnsafetynandnenvironmentalnperformancengonhand-in-hand.nnCanadiansnenjoynannoutstandingnpipelinensystemntontransportnenergyntonmarketsnthroughoutnNorthnAmericaninnthensafestnandnmostnenvironmentallynsoundnmanner.nnWenarenworldnleadersninnprovidingnsafe,nreliablenlongndistancenenergyntransportationnandnarendevelopingninfrastructurentonprovidenansourcenofncleaner-burningnenergyntonmeetnNorthnAmerica’snneeds.

Thenindustrynisnemployingnnewntechnologynaimednatnimprovingn

EnPower/Spectra Energy Waste Heat Recovery facility, Savona, BC

energynefficiency,nreducingnemissions,nsafeguardingnthenenvironmentnandnenhancingnsafety.nnOnenexamplenofnsuchntechnologynisnwastenheatnrecovery.nTransportingngasnthroughnpipelinesnovernlongndistancesnrequiresnthenusenofncompressornstationsnplacednatnregularnintervalsnalongnthen

pipeline.nnCompressorsnarendrivennbyngas-firednturbines,nsimilarntonjetnengines,nandnproducenconsiderablenheat.nnWastenheatnrecoveryntechnologynusesnthenheatngeneratednfromnthesencompressornstationsntongeneratencleannenergy.nnnPristinenPowernInc.nandnENMAXnGreennPowernusesnthenwastenheatnproducednbyntwonncompressornstationsnalongnSpectranEnergy’snmainntransmissionnpipelineninnBritishnColumbia,ntonproducen10nMWnofnelectricityn--nenoughnenergyntonpowern10,000nhomesnanyear.nnThesenprojectsnwillnalsonoffsetngreenhousengasnemissionsnbynapproximatelyn25,000ntonnesnanyear,nequivalentntonremovingn9,000ncarsnfromnournroads.nn

Safeguarding the Environment

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Regulatorynoversightnhasnhelpednensurenthatninfrastructurenisndevelopedncommensuratenwithnneed,nandnthatnnaturalngasnfindsnanpathwayntonmarket.nnAsnanresult,npipelineninfrastructurenhasnbeenndevelopedninnanmannernthatnisnintendedntonserventhenpublicngood.

Innordernforntransmissionnandndistributionnsystemsntonremainninnplacentonmeetnenergynneedsnovernmanyndecades,naccessntonlandnfornfacilitiesnandnpipelinenrights-of-waynisnankeynrequirement.nnThisnprocessnisnmanagednthroughneasementsnnegotiatednwithnindividualnlandownersnandnarenmaintainednovernthenlifenofnthenfacility.nnTonfacilitatenthis,npipelinencompaniesnendeavourntonbuildnstrong,nenduringnrelationshipsnwithnlandowners,nbutnoccasionallynagreementsncannotnbennegotiatednandnthisnrequiresnthenacquisitionnofnlandn(governednbynlegislation)ntonserventhenpublicnneednforninfrastructuren(innmuchnthensamenwasnasnlandnmaynbenacquirednfornhighways,nrailways,nornotherninfrastructurenintendedntonserventhenpublicngood).

Serving the Public Interest

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MeetingnNorthnAmerica’snfuturenenergynneedsnisndrivingnsignificantnnewninvestmentsninntransmissionnpipelineninfrastructureninnCanada.nTimelyninvestmentnin,nandnconstructionnofnpipelinenandnstorageninfrastructurentonconnectnthesennewnsuppliesntonmarketsnwillnbencriticalntonensurenthatnNorthnAmericanhasnadequatensuppliesnofnnaturalngasnwhennandnwherenit’snneeded.nPipelineneconomicsnarenanfunctionnofnvariousnconstructionncostsnincludingn(thentypenofnpipe/costnofnsteel,nlengthnofnpipeline,ndiameternofnpipe,nthenenvironmentnandnterrain)nbutnarenalsoninfluencednbynannumbernofnothernfactorsnincludingnthenregulatorynenvironmentnandnapprovalntimelines.nnOvernthenyears,nthennaturalngasnindustryninnCanadanhasndemonstratednitsninterestninnthenresponsiblendevelopmentnofninfrastructurentonmeetnthenpublicninterest.nnOurnindustrynremainsncommittedntondoingnitsnpartntonmeetnNorthnAmerica’snenergynneedsninnthenfuture.

Building for the Future – Issues and Opportunities

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Canadian Natural Gas is a made-in-Canada advocacy project sponsored by the following associations:

Canadian Energy Pipeline AssociationAssociation canadienne de pipelines d’énergie