Pipeline leaks 290,000 litres of oil and saltwater in northern Alberta

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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You know, for train being worse than pipelines, we never really hear about spills from those locos.


Pipeline leaks 290,000 litres of oil and saltwater in northern Alberta

The Alberta Energy Regulator is reporting that a pipeline leaked about 100,000 litres of oil and 190,000 litres of salty produced water near Zama City in the far northwest corner of the province.

The AER says on its website that Calgary-based Paramount Resources Ltd. reported the leak last week from one of its pipelines about nine kilometres northeast of the community.

It says the leak was discovered by employees checking on a low-pressure alarm from the pipeline's leak detection system.

The regulator says the pipeline has been isolated and depressurized and cleanup is underway.

It says the leak affected an area about 200 metres by 200 metres but no water bodies were involved and it appears no wildlife were affected.

Zama City is 900 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

Pipeline leaks 290,000 litres of oil and saltwater in northern Alberta | CBC News
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
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We should stop producing oil

You know, for train being worse than pipelines, we never really hear about spills from those locos.

Maybe you don't but I do

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3177556


https://globalnews.ca/news/3819738/...carrying-crude-oil-derails-north-of-edmonton/

https://globalnews.ca/news/3572198/oil-spill-cn-rail-train-derails-illinois/

I could continue but I'm sure you know how to use Google. I think what you meant to say is that the anti pipeline crowd doesn't like to talk about railway leaks.
 
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Jinentonix

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Sep 6, 2015
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You know, for train being worse than pipelines, we never really hear about spills from those locos.
Sure we do. Maybe if you kept away from bias confirming sources of "news" you'd be more aware of them. In fact, in 2014 Global News did a report on how crude oil spills are bigger from trains than from pipelines. Pipelines spill more often than oil trains crash but, oil train crashes tend to do more damage.

For example, in 2011 there were 259 pipeline accidents leading to a loss 0.35% of the total product shipped by pipeline. In 2012 there was one oil train accident resulting in a loss of 0.25% of the total product shipped by rail.
The amount of oil being shipped by rail has more than quadrupled since then.

Pipelines also have the advantage of being able to be shut off when there's a leak. You can't shut off a leaking, burning, exploding train.
Oh, and those spill percentages for trains are for trains in transit. They don't don't take into account how much oil gets spilled when loading or unloading the tanker cars.

So, while tanker train accidents happen far less frequently than pipeline spills, the results tend to be much more damaging. A typical oil tanker car holds around 120,000 litres of crude oil, which weighs around 198,000 lbs. Think about that for a moment. Each and every oil car rolling through some city or town is hauling 99 tons of oil.

And once again, even the railroad industry openly admits that pipelines are a much better method of transport for crude oil.
 

Hoid

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 15, 2017
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If they weren't so dam bad at what they do.

It's always been a problem for the oil industry. It attracts and employs mediocre talent .
 

Mowich

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Dec 25, 2005
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It's always been a problem for the oil industry. It attracts and employs mediocre talent .

And you would know this by actually having worked in the industry thus seeing for yourself the mediocre talent? :lol:
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
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petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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A whopping 467.3989249825 bbls that will be scooped up, go through hydraulic separation and back into the line because the strict regulations demand it.

Huzzah!