Pipeline incidents declined by 12% last year, Alberta Energy Regulator says

Pipeline at the Cenovus Christina Lake oil sands facility southeast of Fort McMurray, Alta., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken (AMBER BRACKEN/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) says there were fewer pipeline incidents last year and 90 per cent of them were classified as “low consequence.”

The agency monitors more than 400,000 kilometres of pipeline that transport natural gas, crude oil, diluent, produced water and sour gas.

The AER released details of pipeline performance last year and said total incidents dropped from 350 in 2023, to 307 in 2024.

The figure is a 32 per cent decline from 2015, the AER said, adding that advanced practices likely played a factor in this drop.

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“The improvement in pipeline incident rates is likely attributable to advancements in industry practices, such as the implementation of enhanced safety loss management systems and integrity management programs. These progressions are further supported by ongoing regulatory initiatives aimed at refining pipeline requirements and inspection protocols,” AER said in a statement.

It classifies incidents into three categories:

• high: incidents with a significant impact or adverse effect on a sensitive water body or the environment, wildlife, livestock, workers, or the public;
• medium: incidents with a moderate impact or adverse effect on a sensitive water body or the environment, wildlife, livestock, workers, or the public; and
• low: incidents with little to no impact or adverse effect on a sensitive water body or the environment, wildlife, livestock, workers, or the public.

There were only five “high-consequence” incidents in Alberta last year – making up only one per cent of the total incidents – and those involved pipelines carrying produced water, oil well effluent or sour natural gas.

Internal corrosion remains the leading cause of pipeline incidents, the AER said. It led to 43 per cent of incidents in 2024.

Seventy-two per cent of last year’s pipeline incidents did not involve leaks or leaks of less than one cubic metre; about six barrels or less.

“The largest release of fluids in 2024 was 450 m3 of non-fresh water (produced water) and hydrocarbons,” the AER said.

The agency releases five reports each year under its Industry Performance Program, which helps monitor, measure and publicly report on the energy industry’s environmental and operational performance.