Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection
Team:
Regulated company: NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd.
Operating company: TransCanada PipeLines Limited
Province(s) / Territory(s):
Discipline(s):
Rationale and scope:
Environmental operations inspection of NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. (NGTL)'s Bear River Lateral Loop No. 2. The Bear River Lateral Loop No. 2 is a 9.8 km long NPS 10 diameter pipeline transporting sweet natural gas from the Valhalla Meter Station to the Bear River Meter Station in northwestern Alberta. The pipeline route is a loop adjacent to NGTL’s Bear River Lateral and Bear River Lateral Loop, and parallels the existing NGTL right-of-way for approximately 9.6 km (97.5%) of its length. The pipeline route crosses two unnamed Class D watercourses and two drainage crossings that lack defined bed and banks. Construction commenced in August 2011 and was completed in October 2011. The purpose of this inspection was to observe reclamation success as compared to the final post-construction monitoring report submitted for the project.
Compliance tool(s) used:
Facilities:
Facility Types
Life-cycle Phases
Regulatory requirements that apply to this activity:
Observation 1 - General Observations
Date & time of visit: 2019-05-23 12:00
Discipline: Environmental Protection
Categories:
Facility:
Observations:
KP 9+870 Bear River Lateral Loop 2 Receiving Station
Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used
Observation 2 - NNC - Missing Signage at Road Crossings and Watercourse Crossings
Date & time of visit: 2019-05-23 14:05
Discipline: Damage Prevention
Multiple instances of non-compliance were observed regarding inadequate displays of TransCanada signs at road crossings and watercourse crossings along a ROW corridor that contains three paralleling pipelines. All locations in question are required to have three signs on each side of a crossing, for a total of six signs at each crossing. The required number of signs was not met.KP 2+300 Off Highway Road Crossing to Non-TransCanada Facility
Compliance tool used: Notice of Non-compliance (NNC)
Regulatory requirement:
Relevant section(s):
Company action required:
TransCanada/NGTL is obligated to install the required number of warning signs at all road crossings and watercourse crossings in the multiple pipeline corridor. Three individual signs should be placed on each side of the crossings and positioned according to TransCanada's Pipeline Right of Way Procedures.Photographic evidence is to be provided to the NEB upon completion.
Due date: 2019-07-19
Date closed: 2019-08-01 Note: the date closed is the date that the inspector completed their review of the company corrective actions for adequacy and determined that no further actions are required.
Reason closed: Requirement met
Compliance achieved: Yes
Observation 3 - CNC - Waste Management at Valhalla Meter Station
Date & time of visit: 2019-05-23 15:11
KP 0+000 Valhalla and Valhalla 2 Meter Station
Compliance tool used: Corrected Non-compliance (CNC)
NGTL/ TransCanada is required to abide their waste management plan and operating procedures. The Valhalla Meter station's perimeter is to be cleaned and the collected refuse/debris dipsoed of in accordance with regulatory requirements. Photographic evidence of the area in question is also to be sumbitted for confirmation.
Due date: 2019-05-31
Date closed: 2019-05-30 Note: the date closed is the date that the inspector completed their review of the company corrective actions for adequacy and determined that no further actions are required.
Observation 4 - IR#1 - Documentation
Date & time of visit: 2019-05-23 16:55
NEB Inspection Officers have requested the following documentation relating to the following observations:1) Bear River Receipt Station
Compliance tool used: Information Request (IR)
NGTL / TransCanada is required to supply NEB Inspection Officers with the following documentation:1) Most recent herbicide application logs for the Bear River #2 Receipt Station.2) Most recent aerial patrol logs (excluding the leak survey) and ground patrol logs for the ROW.3) Landowner consultation records for SW 19-75-9 W6.
Due date: 2019-06-28
Date closed: 2019-06-24 Note: the date closed is the date that the inspector completed their review of the company corrective actions for adequacy and determined that no further actions are required.
Observation 5 - IR#2 - Log Deck on Parallel NGTL ROW
Date & time of visit: 2019-05-23 16:50
Near KP 9 + 500, just down the south side of the right of way (ROW) from the Bear River Lateral Loop 2 Receipt Station, there is an old log deck with hundreds of decaying logs. The logs are grey, mottled in color (appear to be rotten) and are likely remnants from construction of an older pipeline in the same corridor; NGTL/ TransCanada representatives could not confirm the origin of the log deck.
NGTL / TransCanada is required to inform NEB Inspection Officers of plans for removal of the log deck, if any, and a timeline for removal if removal of the logs are warranted.
Identified non-compliances to company plans or procedures are non-compliances either to:
- the condition of an authorization document that requires the implementation of that plan or procedure; or
- the relevant section of the regulations that requires implementation of that plan or procedure including those sections that require implementation of plans or procedures as a part of a Program
