Happy Tuesday!
Did anyone
happen to read the Oil & Gas Journal’s Daily Update Newsletter on December
5, 2023, their article titled, “Michigan regulator approves Great Lakes tunnel
plan for Enbridge Line 5”? In the
article, it speaks about Michigan Public Service Commission has agreed to
Enbridge’s application to replace their Line 5 section on the lakebed of the Straits
of Mackinac which is the waterway which connects Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. Enbridge’s Line 5
is 30-in double pipeline which carries both crude oil and propane into the U.S.,
and it is around seventy years old. Enbridge
has requested for it to be replaced by a single line which will go beneath the straits
in a tunnel. The plan is to build the
pipeline 60-feet underneath the lakebed in the bedrock about 370-feet across
the strait, then line the tunnel with concrete to a diameter of 21 feet, with an
area for a 30-in. pipeline and the tunnel will have ventilation systems, leak
detectors, dewatering equipment and ectara for help with inspections and maintenance.
The Commission ruled it would cause the
least impact to the environment, be the best way to transport the petroleum products
to the U.S., and it was deemed necessary for the public good. The Commission admitted this plan would reduce
chances of spills, because its existing line could be damaged by anchors due to
runs along the lakebed. Enbridge’s Line
5 has made its first hurdle now it needs it environmental impact statement
(EIS) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and this isn’t expected to be completed
until 2025. Enbridge needs approval from Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority,
and there is a pending litigation. Enbridge’s
Line 5 is on its way to be a safer, more environmentally friendly pipeline
getting the U.S. much needed energy. If
you would like to read more of the Oil & Gas Journal’s article, please
click the link: Michigan
regulator approves Great Lakes tunnel plan for Enbridge Line 5 | Oil & Gas
Journal (ogj.com).
If you would
like help in looking into how to transport your product efficiently, safely, and
with less of a carbon footprint or just find out what is underneath your feet
to help with your emission reduction goals, contact us via email in the blog
and check out our ESC's website!
We hope you have a wonderful evening!
Don’t forget tomorrow the NISTM’s Trade Show begins. We hope to see you there!
**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read The Oil
and Gas Journal’s article. **