Thursday, October 16, 2008
Fort Howe Hotel & Convention Centre
Robin McAdam [via teleconference], President, Brunswick Pipeline
Claude MacKinnon, Co-Chair
Susan Harris, Brunswick Pipeline Community Relations Manager
Al McDougall
David Peterson
Horst Sauerteig
Gordon Dalzell
Ellen Murphy
Regrets:
Midge Thompson, Christine Saumure, Carmel McCaig, Tammy Calvin
Guest:
Roger Burton, Manager of Engineering, Brunswick Pipeline
Kendall Mason, Engineering Director, City of Saint John
Shayne Galbraith, Director of Public Works, City of Saint John
The agenda was accepted as presented.
The minutes of all three meetings were accepted.
Two items remain on the Action Items list. The item of a final copy of the Emergency Response Plan will carry forward. A copy of the draft plan was distributed to the Committee members at this meeting. When the final version is complete, copied will be provided to the Committee members.
The issue of Milford noise was discussed. An update will be provided to the Committee when the situation is resolved.
i) Transition from Construction to Pipeline Operations (Roger Burton)
Roger Burton, Engineering Manager for Brunswick Pipeline, provided a presentation on the Commissioning of a Pipeline. Roger indicated that in addition to the quality control during the construction of the pipeline, the National Energy Board requires Brunswick Pipeline to demonstrate that the pipeline is ready to go into service and has met all required conditions. The Onshore Pipeline Regulations require that pipelines be tested in accordance with CSA code Z662. A Leave to Open Certificate is issued by the NEB once all requirements are met. At that stage, gas can then be introduced into the pipeline.
Brunswick Pipeline’s 145 km pipeline has been segmented into 13 sections for hydrostatic testing, with five in the urban section and eight in the rural. Start and end points for each were determined based on elevation changes of the segment, proximity of a water source and location of a practical water supply. Once a section of the pipeline is welded and ready for hydrostatic testing, a cleaning tool (or PIG) is moved through the pipe using compressed air, to remove potential construction debris or other materials.
Next, certified test heads are welded to each end of the test section. The section is filled with water and tested in accordance to its Class. For example, the Class I pipeline length (rural spread) will be tested at 1.25 times the approved maximum operating pressure (MOP) and the Class III pipeline (urban spread) will be tested at 1.4 times the MOP.
Once hydrostatic testing is complete, the section is dewatered in a controlled manner, ensuring that water does not flow directly into a water source and avoiding sedimentation and erosion. The water used for the hydrostatic test is tested before and after used to confirm that it has not been contaminated. Drying tools (or squeegee and foam PIGs) are then run through to remove excess water and to dry the pipeline.
A caliper PIG is passed through the pipeline using compressed air, conducting a physical inspection to see if there are anomalies such as dents or “ovalities” (when the pipe is not round).
Each test section is then connected to adjacent sections with final tie-in welds. These welds are x-rayed but not subject to hydrostatic testing. When all testing is done and tie-in welds are complete, the pipeline is considered mechanically complete.
Upon mechanical completion, Brunswick Pipeline can apply to the NEB for a Leave to Open (LTO) Certificate to place the pipeline in service. The company files an affidavit with testing documents to verify that all conditions imposed in the original pipeline project approval, Onshore Pipeline Regulations and CSA requirements have been met. The NEB issues a LTO Certificate which allows Brunswick Pipeline to introduce gas into the pipeline when ready.
Natural gas to fill the pipeline (called purge and pack), until Canaport is ready for service, will come from M&NE pipeline system. Operations personnel will monitor the valve sites and stations to confirm when gas has reached those points and to check for leaks. Once all air is removed from the pipeline (approximately 15 hours), it is pressurized in two increments to approximately 1000 psi. This process could take 5-10 days to complete. Finally, a leak survey will be conducted on the entire route, upon pressurization.
Certain equipment is tested prior to the introduction of natural gas:
* Meter and valve station electronics
* Cathodic protection system
* Valve actuators and settings
* Communications with Gas Control and the LNG Plant
Once the pipeline is filled with gas, commissioning of components that interact with gas can be completed:
* Remote operation of valves (pressure of gas used to cycle valves)
* Gas measurement equipment
* Odorant injection system along with many other systems
Operations of the pipeline will include:
* 24 hour/day, 7 days/week monitoring
* aerial patrols
* leakage surveys
* security management plan
* public awareness program
Following Roger’s presentation, concerns were raised that the recent attack on a pipeline in British Columbia could also happen on the Brunswick Pipeline. Robin McAdam assured the group that security is a key focus both in construction and in operation of the pipeline, and that our pipeline surveillance program is under development. The pipeline industry is also certainly aware of the concerns and is taking every precaution.
ii) Sewer Pumping Station on Spar Cove Road (Kendall Mason)
Kendall Mason, Engineering Director for the City of Saint John presented the plans for a Sewer Pumping Station to be located on Spar Cove Road close to the entrance of the pipeline into the St. John River. Kendall explained that the pumping station is required to divert waste water from the St. John River to the treatment facility in the north end.
The City of Saint John is building pumping stations and new piping in various areas of the Saint John and a new wastewater treatment facility in east Saint John as part of the Harbour Clean-Up Project.
In the construction of the Spar Cove Road pumping station, blasting near the Brunswick Pipeline is possible, which will proceed in consultation with Brunswick Pipeline. As well, public meetings will be held so that area citizens will have input into the facility’s design.
iii) City of Saint John Recent Changes to Solid Waste Collection (Shayne Galbraith)
Shayne Galbraith, Director of Public Works of the City of Saint John provided a presentation on the history of Saint John’s solid waste and garbage collection services, and an overview of the service’s most recent changes. A garbage collection by-law was enacted in the late 1960s, early 1970s. The by-law lead to a more focused solid waste management program. The next major changes in solid waste collection arrived with the introduced of the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission in the mid 1990s and the arrival of composting to the region in 2001. The most recent changes, which took effect the week of September 29, 2008, resulted from a 2007 study that showed that bi-weekly, combined garbage and compost collection was more efficient and that high priority areas such as the South End, Lower West Side, Old North End and Crescent Valley areas should receive weekly collection. Changes included a re-routing of collection in the entire city resulting in one half of the city receiving collection one week, and the other half of the city the next week. The final proposal for “Same Week, Same Day”, which includes enhanced by-law enforcement and a public education program, was submitted to Common Council in September 2008 and was approved.
Robin provided an overview of construction progress. Results of testing of the pipe section pulled under the St. John River have shown no anomalies, and the HDD has been declared successful. With this news, Brunswick Pipeline has withdrawn its application for an alternate wet crossing method from the National Energy Board. All tier 1 (large) stream crossings have been completed. Brunswick Pipeline is working with the NB Department of Environment to ensure stream or wetland crossings are completed to their specifications and deadlines. The preparation of the Emergency Response Plan with an 800 meter Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) zone has been filed with the NEB for review and approval. We expect completion of construction and testing by the end of December.
The Southwest NB Committee has agreed to meet again in early December which will be their last meeting until May-June 2009. The Rockwood Park Committee will do a final walk of the Right of Way and then will disband until the spring as well. SJCLC members were asked how frequently they wanted to meet during the winter months, and it was decided to meet again in November, and again in February 2009 to update the Committee on the service of the pipeline and its progress and to evaluate the remainder of the winter schedule at that time.
Susan informed the Committee that the video of the pull through of the pipeline into the St. John River will be available for Committee members once it is copied. A draft copy of the Emergency Response Plan was handed out to all Committee members.