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another_liberal

(8,821 posts)
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 08:07 AM Jan 2014

TransCanada natural gas pipeline explodes near Winnipeg.

Source: Al Jazeera America

A natural gas pipeline operated by TransCanada exploded and caught fire in a rural part of western Canadan early on Saturday, putting fresh focus on the firm's safety record ahead of a crucial White House decision over a controversial cross-border project. The explosion happened near Otterburne, Manitoba, about 15 miles south of the provincial capital, Winnipeg. The area was evacuated as a precaution, said the National Energy Board (NEB), which oversees parts of Canada's energy industry. No injuries were reported but the fire burned for more than 12 hours.

The explosion comes as some environmentalists are raising concern about the safety of TransCanada’s pipelines. The company is currently making a big lobbying push to convince the U.S. government to allow TransCanada to deliver oil from Canada’s oil sands through the United States in its controversial Keystone XL pipeline. After the explosion, pictures of balls of flames poured into Twitter and television stations. The line was shut down and depressurized to contain the fire, the NEB said, adding it would work with the federal Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause. A TransCanada spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment. About 4,000 residents and other customers may be without natural gas for at least a day, according to Manitoba Hydro, the provincial government-owned energy utility. Temperatures in the province are well below freezing.

"We could see these massive 200- to 300-meter high flames just shooting out of the ground and it literally sounded like a jet plane," said resident Paul Rawluk to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "The police were by [Highway] 59 and you could just see little cars out there and you could see in comparison how big the flame was. It was just literally 200 to 300 metres in the air. And bright, I mean lit up the sky." The incident comes as the safety record of all pipeline operators face increased scrutiny as they build infrastructure across the continent for natural gas and oil. In addition to the Keystone XL, plans are under way for construction of several export terminals on the Pacific Coast, with the aim of making Canada, the world's third largest producer of natural gas, an exporter of liquefied natural gas to Asia.

Read more: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/25/transcanada-naturalgaspipelineexpodesnearwinnipeg.html



Coming soon to a pipeline near you! Is it just me, or do these "incidents" seem to be happening more and more often? If we keep on building these accident-prone pipelines, how long will it be before we have a truly devastating accident near a major population center?
33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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TransCanada natural gas pipeline explodes near Winnipeg. (Original Post) another_liberal Jan 2014 OP
That's just what we need. In_The_Wind Jan 2014 #1
The whole stinking thing -- tar sands to pipeline -- is an industrial cluster*ck Berlum Jan 2014 #2
We invade and occupy Iraq for nothing . . . another_liberal Jan 2014 #3
Almost as often as school shootings. New Orleans Strong Jan 2014 #4
Those darn Canadians and their American exceptionalism. penultimate Jan 2014 #5
North American exceptionalism. Enthusiast Jan 2014 #6
sarcasism mtasselin Jan 2014 #14
Come on. They might as well be the 51st state.... paleotn Jan 2014 #17
Once pipelines cross into the USA Enthusiast Jan 2014 #7
Yeah, it's not like we'd let a pipeline break near Yellowstone or something . . . another_liberal Jan 2014 #9
LOL! Enthusiast Jan 2014 #10
Hahaha.... Theyletmeeatcake2 Jan 2014 #11
I didn't think I needed the sarcasm thingie. Enthusiast Jan 2014 #13
And damage control statements to the media like, "No one could have seen that coming." nt valerief Jan 2014 #25
Yes. It was "unpredictable." Enthusiast Jan 2014 #26
Indeed. Pipeline inspectors stopped such an incident just this last Thanksgiving. xocet Jan 2014 #29
the fact that they want more of these built is just nuts cinnabonbon Jan 2014 #8
they are betting on cheap pipe and bad welders... madrchsod Jan 2014 #12
K&R DeSwiss Jan 2014 #15
stuxnet and more coming home to roost? Android3.14 Jan 2014 #16
I have the same feelings, only I'm wondering if all this is being put in place... Frustratedlady Jan 2014 #18
Maybe yes, maybe no..... paleotn Jan 2014 #19
TransCanada doesn't build piplines. sulphurdunn Jan 2014 #20
Even the route for the XL pipeline in our country was based on cost analysis decisions. another_liberal Jan 2014 #21
Yes, the project sulphurdunn Jan 2014 #22
Not to worry durablend Jan 2014 #23
This is especially true for maintenance laundry_queen Jan 2014 #33
We blame the suppiers of energy but we keep driving our cars and demand low energy prices. L0oniX Jan 2014 #24
Our government needs to build some good public transport systems. another_liberal Jan 2014 #31
Well the narrative kind of blew up in their face now, didn't it? Bennyboy Jan 2014 #27
And we should sooooo trust that new pipeline they want sakabatou Jan 2014 #28
K&R n/t Joe Shlabotnik Jan 2014 #30
North of us they have asked people to turn heat down to 60 glinda Jan 2014 #32
 

another_liberal

(8,821 posts)
3. We invade and occupy Iraq for nothing . . .
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 08:25 AM
Jan 2014

But we're going to help Canadian corporations build this kind of monstrosity all across our country? Our national priorities need to be reevaluated.

mtasselin

(666 posts)
14. sarcasism
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:59 AM
Jan 2014

There was a time in America and North America we had exceptional-ism, but since we have let the corporations take control we have gone down hill. We will never get exceptional-ism back until we get control of our country, need to get money out of politics.

paleotn

(17,778 posts)
17. Come on. They might as well be the 51st state....
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 10:56 AM
Jan 2014

...inside every "hoser" is an Amurakan trying to get out. USA! USA!

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
7. Once pipelines cross into the USA
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:17 AM
Jan 2014

special teams of highly qualified and highly paid pipeline inspectors watch for potential problems around the clock.

Failures are virtually impossible.

Yet, if by some set of extremely rare unforeseen circumstances, there is a failure, it will be contained immediately by state of the art measures.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
10. LOL!
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:42 AM
Jan 2014

Those look like some state of the art cleanup measures!

Idiocracy, baby! It has a firm foothold here in the "greatest nation on earth".

Theyletmeeatcake2

(348 posts)
11. Hahaha....
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:44 AM
Jan 2014

They factor in accidents and if they save money on reducing precautionary measures what do you think will happen ?

cinnabonbon

(860 posts)
8. the fact that they want more of these built is just nuts
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:28 AM
Jan 2014

"We could see these massive 200- to 300-meter high flames just shooting out of the ground and it literally sounded like a jet plane," said resident Paul Rawluk to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "The police were by 59 and you could just see little cars out there and you could see in comparison how big the flame was. It was just literally 200 to 300 metres in the air. And bright, I mean lit up the sky."


Why wouldn't you want this near your community? This of all the cheap gas you'll get.

madrchsod

(58,162 posts)
12. they are betting on cheap pipe and bad welders...
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 09:49 AM
Jan 2014

anything to keep the costs down and profits high.

looks like they are losing that bet

 

Android3.14

(5,402 posts)
16. stuxnet and more coming home to roost?
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 10:45 AM
Jan 2014

Seems like there have been more and more frequent accidents of sensitive computer dependent large scale systems such as rail, energy supplies, financial records and even gmail.
I wonder if these are cyberattacks, about which HSA is suppressing information, and whether they will simply increase in frequency and/or if we are headed for an Event.
Please excuse my morning paranoia.

Frustratedlady

(16,254 posts)
18. I have the same feelings, only I'm wondering if all this is being put in place...
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 11:12 AM
Jan 2014

to destroy our water supplies and air quality. How many of these pipelines and dangerous chemical tanks are positioned near a river or the ocean (in or near). There are all kinds of energy routes that could be coordinated by location via train, truck, barge, ship, etc., to explode and/or contaminate water, land and air...kill large populations by traversing thru the middle of towns/cities, etc. We can no longer depend on decent people to own/operate these pipelines or other infrastructure to insure that everything goes smoothly. The country could be destroyed in minutes.

My little town is a good example with trains going thru the middle of town all day and night. We have no clue what they are carrying.

They've polluted our politics...think about it.

paleotn

(17,778 posts)
19. Maybe yes, maybe no.....
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 11:15 AM
Jan 2014

...there's been pipeline explosions and leaks as long as there's been pipelines. Mainly because one of the first areas owners cut costs is in maintenance and monitoring since those cuts are relatively invisible and have no immediate impact on anyone outside the organization. Then again, with infrastructure control now accessible from anywhere via cyberspace, it's certainly possible. Not only possible, but probable, since if it can be done someone somewhere will do it. Use to be you had to physically go to the damn pipeline or at least some control center to do any mischief. One of the downsides of the digital revolution.

 

sulphurdunn

(6,891 posts)
20. TransCanada doesn't build piplines.
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 11:19 AM
Jan 2014

It's contractors and subcontractors do. To make money they must come in at or under bid. The bid that wins is usually a low ball bid that could not possibly make money without cutting corners to reduce costs. Maximizing profit means getting the job done as cheaply and quickly as possible. The incentives for corruption and for performing substandard work are relentless. The bigger and more costly the job the worse it is.

 

another_liberal

(8,821 posts)
21. Even the route for the XL pipeline in our country was based on cost analysis decisions.
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 11:36 AM
Jan 2014

It would have been more expensive to build it along high, rocky terrain, so they chose to run it through lower areas, where the farms, ranches and streams will be most impacted by a spill.

 

sulphurdunn

(6,891 posts)
22. Yes, the project
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 11:49 AM
Jan 2014

is only about making as much money as possible as soon as possible, regardless of collateral damage to non-investors and the environment.

durablend

(7,416 posts)
23. Not to worry
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 11:52 AM
Jan 2014
they chose to run it through lower areas, where the farms, ranches and streams will be most impacted by a spill.


The CEOs and other bigwigs won't be affected by any spills. Isn't that's what's important to point out here?

laundry_queen

(8,646 posts)
33. This is especially true for maintenance
Mon Jan 27, 2014, 03:48 AM
Jan 2014

my ex did a lot of work for big oil companies selling different chemicals that get injected into the pipeline to keep it free of corrosion (among other things). So many times he would come home frustrated because some operator for some huge company would decide they just couldn't spend as much on chemical anymore, so could they use half of the corrosion inhibitor from now on? My ex would say, Um, no, not unless you want a blow out. There were a lot that just didn't care, as long as they cut costs. Every time there was a blow out, my ex would get on the phone quickly to find out if it was one of 'his' pipelines. Thankfully, it never was, because he was very persistent about his operators sticking to the treatment plan. The treatment plan is devised by constantly sampling of the oil or gas in the pipeline and doing a lot of testing to determine if there was anything in it that could compromise the pipe. But if your client won't buy the chemical, there's not much you can do about it.

 

L0oniX

(31,493 posts)
24. We blame the suppiers of energy but we keep driving our cars and demand low energy prices.
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 12:03 PM
Jan 2014

Sure the sociopath reckless assholes are going to cut corners because they want to get rich but they also blame us for the demand side. You can't have your cake and eat it too with this. We have to convert to a better way. Oil and natural gas resources are finite.

 

another_liberal

(8,821 posts)
31. Our government needs to build some good public transport systems.
Mon Jan 27, 2014, 01:32 AM
Jan 2014

A great many people would stop driving if they had a viable alternative.

 

Bennyboy

(10,440 posts)
27. Well the narrative kind of blew up in their face now, didn't it?
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 01:56 PM
Jan 2014

bad pun aside, the whole "See what happens when you use trucks to transport oil instead of pipelines" every time an oil tanker loaded with crude poisons the earth in a fiery explosion.

glinda

(14,807 posts)
32. North of us they have asked people to turn heat down to 60
Mon Jan 27, 2014, 02:04 AM
Jan 2014

becasue of this. It is supposed to be possibly 50 below tomorrow in some places.

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