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DEH CHO
Enbridge Pipelines Inc. is wrapping up its winter work in the Deh Cho, which includes cleanup of a substantial oil spill last year.

Enbridge workers clear access to the spill site on the Norman Wells pipeline south of Wrigley in May 2011. - photo courtesy of Enbridge Pipelines Inc.

On Wednesday, the staff and equipment were being demobilized and the removal of contaminated soil was drawing to a close, said Graham White, manager of business communications with Enbridge. Last year, on May 9, a leak of sweet crude oil was discovered near Willowlake River in the company's pipeline that runs from Norman Wells to Zama, Alta.

The soil contaminated by the leak – 8,980 tonnes, approximately 477 truck loads – has been removed from the site and taken to a landfill in northern B.C. for processing.

Hauling material from the site was completed on March 30 and additional hauling from the staging area near Checkpoint is expected to be completed next week, White said.

In the spring, re-vegetation, tree planting and weed monitoring will begin at the spill site and continue into the summer.

Ground water monitoring at the site will recommence as soon as the area has thawed, said White.

Thirty-three monitoring wells have been dug at the site including 10 deep wells. Enbridge will continue to monitor the wells for at least two years to ensure there are no further impacts, White said.

Enbridge will also continue to report its findings to the National Energy Board and other regulators.

The spill site was also the location of one of 12 integrity digs Enbridge conducted on the Deh Cho portion of the pipeline this winter.

Originally eight locations were identified by an in-line inspection tool used to identify changes in the walls of the pipe. An additional four areas were identified for examination during the course of the work, White said.

At each location, the pipeline was dug up, the protective coating around it removed and the pipe examined.

Depending on what was found, the section in question was either re-coated on the interior or exterior, covered with a sleeve that was welded to the pipe or the section was replaced.

"Whatever was required was done on that length of pipeline to guarantee its integrity," White said.

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