Clipper pipeline project underway

Construction of the Canadian section of Enbridge’s multi-billion dollar Clipper pipeline is underway in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.

The new 36-inch diameter, 1,607-kilometre crude oil pipeline will reach from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin.

The pipeline is the largest expansion project in the company’s history.

“The start of construction confirms another significant step for Enbridge in ensuring our customers have a strategic advantage for marketing Canadian crude,” said Al Monaco, executive VP, major projects, Enbridge Inc.

“Together with our Southern Access project, Alberta Clipper will ultimately deliver an incremental 1.2 million barrels-per-day from Alberta to Eastern Canadian markets and U.S. refineries throughout the Midwest, the mid-continent and the U.S. Gulf Coast.”

Mainline construction activity started on the weekend of Aug. 23-24 near Hardisty and Provost in Alberta and near Bethune, Sask.

“The construction process for pipeline construction involves clearing away topsoil, digging a trench, laying pipe and then backfilling the trench,” explained Curt Boechler, senior communications adviser with Enbridge.

“The pipeline will be buried about a meter underground. Generally speaking, construction travels at about three to four kilometres a day, depending on conditions. This is how fast product moves through the pipeline.”

Sommerville and Technit are two of the main contractors working on the expansion project.

At peak construction levels, more than 1,000 workers will be employed on the Canadian part of the line this year.

The pipeline is scheduled to be in service in mid-2010, pending U.S. regulatory approvals.

Initial capacity of the pipeline will be 450,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), which could go up to 800,000 bpd with expansion.

Alberta Clipper will be integrated with, and form part of, the existing Enbridge system in Canada and the Enbridge Energy Partners’ Lakehead system in the United States.