INUVIK
With the closure of the ice crossings on the Dempster Highway, the squeeze is on for Inuvik's heating fuel supplies.
Inuvik Gas general manager Kevin Mackay says the company is ready to handle the spring closure season on the Dempster Highway with extra supplies of synthetic natural gas. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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The springtime closure of the Dempster means Inuvik Gas must closely monitor its supplies of synthetic natural gas before it's forced to switch over to the dwindling Ikhil energy field as a backup.
That field has been contaminated by water and has a very limited life expectancy, which has resulted in the town switching over to trucking in synthetic natural gas (SNG) – which is propane-based – as a substitute fuel at a substantially higher cost.
The Ikhil field is now scheduled to be used only as an emergency backup when SNG is not available to be trucked in via the Dempster.
"IGL (Inuvik Gas Ltd.) is continuing to ensure that the Ikhil well is operational in the event we need to draw on that system," said Inuvik Gas manager Kevin Mackay in an e-mail. "We don't have any concerns about the amount of natural gas we may need from Ikhil if the road outage is longer than normal.
"Inuvik Gas Ltd. prepared for the spring closure of the Dempster Highway by bringing up extra propane in advance of the closure," he added. "We have two extra trailers at the a propane air site that we can draw on when the propane in the storage tanks is depleted."
Since the switchover to SNG, Inuvik Gas has maintained an eight-day supply of the fuel on hand for the town to use
"The road is normally out for four to six weeks," he said. "Based on our customers' typical usage during this time, we anticipate (being able) to remain on SNG for the duration of the closure.
"It is our intention to use synthetic natural gas for as long as possible and only switch to natural gas from the Ikhil reserve if the road remains closed longer than anticipated," Mackay continued. "Once the ferries are in place and the road is open again, we will be able to resume propane deliveries."
Inuvik Mayor Floyd Roland deferred questions to Inuvik Gas as to whether the town was prepared for the spring closures.
Earlier this year, following an emergency in Norman Wells, Inuvik senior administrative officer Grant Hood said the town had contingency plans in place to deal with any gas shortage or outages in town.
Several municipal buildings, as well as GNWT buildings, have been converted back to diesel fuel for heating purposes. There is also an emergency management plan for the Midnight Sun Complex, which is designated for emergency use.
