ARCHIVED - Letter and Order AO-001-SG-N081-001-2013 to TransCanada PipeLines Limited - NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. NPS 30 Grande Prairie Mainline Loop - Elmworth Section (Pipeline)

Letter and Order AO-001-SG-N081-001-2013 to TransCanada PipeLines Limited - NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. NPS 30 Grande Prairie Mainline Loop – Elmworth Section (Pipeline) [PDF 110 KB]

File OF-Surv-Inc-2012 126
18 December 2014

Mr. Roel Lancée
Manager, Canadian Regulatory Compliance
TransCanada PipeLines Limited
450 1st Street S.W.
Calgary, AB  T2P 5H1
Facsimile 403-920-2415

Dear Mr. Lancée,

NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. NPS 30 Grande Prairie Mainline Loop – Elmworth Section (Pipeline)
TransCanada PipeLines Limited (TransCanada) application dated 9 October 2014
to vary Order SG-N081-001-2013 (Safety Order) pursuant to section 21 of the National Energy Board Act

The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) is in receipt of the above-referenced application, which requests that the Safety Order be varied to allow the Pipeline to be returned to service at a reduced operating pressure of 7605 kPa (90% of the licensed maximum operating pressure (MOP)), until such time that additional integrity work is complete to confirm safe operation of the Pipeline at the licenced MOP of 8450 kPa.

The Board has considered the engineering assessment filed by TransCanada in support of the application, and the actions taken by TransCanada to date including completed mitigation measures and planned integrity monitoring activities. The Board also acknowledges TransCanada’s submission that it has assessed operational requirements and has determined that the Pipeline is required for service prior to completion of all of the integrity related digs in Q1 2015.

Based on the information provided by TransCanada, and in order to ensure an adequate level of safety and security of the public and the Pipeline, the Board has determined that the Pipeline may be returned to service at an operating pressure not exceeding 6760 kPa (80% of the licensed MOP). The Board has issued the attached amending Order AO-001-SG-N081-001-2013, which outlines the terms and conditions under which the Pipeline may be returned to service.

Yours truly,

Sheri Young
Secretary of the Board

BEFORE the Board on 18 December 2014.

WHEREAS on 10 January 2013, the Board issued Order SG-N081-001-2013 (Safety Order) to TransCanada;

AND WHEREAS the Safety Order relates to the NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. NPS 30 Grande Prairie Mainline Loop (Elmworth Section) sweet natural gas pipeline (Pipeline);

AND WHEREAS on 9 October 2013, TransCanada filed an application to vary the Safety Order to allow the Pipeline to be returned to service at an operating pressure of 7605 kPa, until such time that additional integrity work is complete to confirm safe operation of the Pipeline at its licensed maximum operating pressure of 8450kPa;

AND WHEREAS the Board has considered the application and has determined that additional measures are required for the safety and security of the Pipeline;

IT IS ORDERED THAT pursuant to sections 12, 21(1), and 48 of the Act, the Safety Order is amended by replacing Condition 1 with the following conditions:

1. The Pipeline may be operated at a maximum operating pressure (MOP) not exceeding 6760 kPa (80% of the licensed MOP) (Pressure Restriction);
2. No later than 14 days after the Pipeline is returned to service, TransCanada shall file with the Board written confirmation that the Pressure Restriction has been implemented. The written confirmation shall include confirmation that both the local and remote control centres’ set-points for shutdown and pressure control of the operation, isolation valves, and overpressure protection devices have been adjusted according to Clauses 4.18 and 10.9.5 of Canadian Standards Association standard CSA Z662-11 Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems to reflect the Pressure Restriction;
3. If TransCanada derates the MOP of the Pipeline set out in Condition 1 due to a pipeline integrity related issue, TransCanada shall notify the Board no later than 2 days after the derating. The notice shall include the rationale for reducing the pressure;
4. TransCanada shall repair the outstanding features at joint GWD 200 by 1 February 2015, and shall provide the Board with written confirmation that the repair has occurred no later than 30 days following completion of the repair;
5. No later than 12 months after the Pipeline is returned to service, TransCanada shall submit to the Board for approval an updated Engineering Assessment as per Clause 3.3 of CSA Z662-11 that demonstrates the Pipeline is fit for service at the licensed MOP of 8450 kPa. Until the Board approves the updated Engineering Assessment:
   1. The Pipeline shall not be operated at a pressure higher than the Pressure Restriction in Condition 1; and
   2. TransCanada shall repair or mitigate all pipeline integrity features that meet CSA Z662-11 repair criteria and TransCanada’s Immediate Repair Criteria for corrosion features (i.e., peak depth ≥ 70% of the nominal wall thickness and/or RPR1.25 (6760 kPa) ≤ 1.00).

This Amending Order shall come into effect on 18 December 2014.

NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD

Sheri Young
Secretary of the Board

AO-001-SG-N081-001-2013

Date modified:

2020-09-29