Canadian Natural Gas
NaturalnGasnTransmissionnPipelines
Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines
nn Pipelines function as energy highways, and are integral to providing energy for our homes, natural
gas to serve industry, and a fuel source to generate electricity.
nn Pipelines are the safest and most efficient means of transporting natural gas from producing fields
to processing facilities, and from producing areas to end-use consumers via local distribution
companies.
nn Safety and environmental performance go hand-in-hand. Canada boasts an outstanding pipeline
system to transport and deliver natural gas to customers throughout the continent.
nn The single biggest threat to pipeline safety involves the unauthorized digging or activity along
pipeline right of ways.
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Pipeline infrastructure exists to bring gas to market and ensure the free flow of gas throughout
the continent. Natural gas is generally delivered directly to the consumer by pipeline. However, it
begins that journey with gas wells connected to small-diameter (five centimetres to 15 centimetres)
gathering systems that take the raw, unprocessed gas to a gas processing facility. Gas processing
facilities, usually referred to as gas plants, vary in size from small compression facilities that are
mounted on moveable platforms and that remove impurities and water from the gas, to large gas
plants that also remove hydrocarbon byproducts, sulphur and carbon dioxide. The “dry gas” (i.e. gas
with little or no condensate or reservoir liquids) may then be compressed prior to its moving into the
transmission system comprised of steel pipe from 50 centimetres (20 inches) to more than a metre
(39.4 inches) in diameter. Finally, the processed “sales” gas is distributed to homes and businesses
through pipe which ranges in size from 1 ¼” to 4” in diameter.
Gas flows through the system from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure through the use
of compressors and turbines similar to jet engines that increase the pressure of the gas up to 10,300
kilopascals (1,500 pounds per square inch). Compressed at up to 100 times the pressure of the
atmosphere, natural gas moves up to 40 kilometres per hour, which is approximately the speed of an
“ natural gas moves up to 40
kilometres per hour,
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Olympic runner. Most long distance major transmission lines generally operate in the range of 800-
1500 psi.
Compressor stations are placed at regular intervals along the pipeline to increase line pressure, which
declines as it travels due to friction generated by the movement of the gas as it passes through the
pipe. Transmission line compressors are most often driven by gas turbines with the necessary fuel
being taken from the pipeline. Where electricity is preferable, electric motors may be used to drive
compressors.
Transmission systems move the gas across great distances to local distribution companies or gas
utilities, where the pressure is reduced and the gas enters a distribution mainline for local delivery to
service lines connected to individual homes or businesses.
There are three main types of pipeline operators:
Producers, who explore, drill and extract raw natural gas and operate the gathering systems
that transport natural gas from the wellhead to gas processing plants
Pipeline companies that operate pipelines, which transport natural gas throughout North
America
Distribution companies that distribute natural gas to homes, industrial and commercial facilities
within local communities
3 3
Where Pipelines are
Located
Producing fields are generally
thought of as being in remote
areas some distance from
population centres; however,
some producing fields are
adjacent to or underlie cities.
Consequently, gathering
systems can run beneath
wilderness areas, farmland, and
cities and towns. Similarly,
high pressure transmission
pipelines exist in both rural and
urban settings.
Natural gas distribution systems
are generally found in urban
locations, delivering natural gas
to houses, apartment blocks,
and commercial and industrial
buildings. In most residential
subdivisions in many parts of
Canada, there is a service line
connecting to each house.
4
Warning signs, as regulated by the National Energy Board (NEB)
and various provincial regulatory bodies, are placed on each side
of highway, road, railway or watercourse crossings and at suitable
intervals along the pipeline to clearly and continuously mark the
pipeline’s location through urban areas and along the right-of-ways
of roads or highways.
Right-of-ways are recognized
as corridors clear of trees,
buildings and other structures
and are clearly marked by
Right of Way
warning signs. Provincial
regulatory bodies establish
construction standards,
including determining the
minimum depth of earth over
a pipeline. However, due to
human activity and/or erosion,
the depth may be shallower,
so extreme caution must be
taken when excavating near a
pipeline. Regulatory bodies,
be they the NEB or provincial
agencies, also maintain records
of the location of all natural gas
pipelines.
Importance of reliability
The provision of natural gas is critical to meeting North America’s needs for energy to heat homes
and businesses, to generate electricity, power manufacturing plants, fuel transportation, and as a raw
material for a range of products. Customers rely on our industry to provide safe and uninterrupted
transportation of natural gas and to do that, our industry ensures facilities and equipment are properly
maintained and monitored. It is a responsibility that pipeline companies take very seriously.
To balance supply and demand, several natural gas companies operate storage facilities in depleted
oil and gas fields and underground salt caverns. The largest storage facilities are located in central and
eastern Alberta and southwestern Ontario.
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robust natural gas marketplace
which helps keep prices
competitive.
Pipeline companies know that
their success is determined
by their ability to provide safe
and reliable service to their
customers. They are therefore
committed to ensuring system
integrity and reliability, and have
made on-going investments
in the maintenance of their
infrastructure. Our pipeline
system has been constructed
over many decades, with
hundreds of kilometres
The Dawn Hub, located 35 transport gas downstream to
constructed and installed each
km southeast of Sarnia in markets in Eastern Canada
year. Numerous upgrades have
southwestern Ontario, is and the NE United States, or
been made to the system over
the largest underground upstream, to markets in the
the years, and comprehensive
storage facility in Canada and mid-western US.
and ongoing maintenance
one of the largest in North
programs effectively manage
America. A gas trading hub These storage facilities
structural integrity and the
with an integrated network allow gas to be stored and
safe and reliable operation of
of 23 depleted gas pools, the withdrawn, as demand requires
this network. The industry
Dawn Hub provides enhanced it. This provides a moderating
is continually monitoring and
reliability and offers distribution effect on prices and ensures the
upgrading the pipeline system,
and pipeline companies, consistent and reliable delivery
and it employs rigorous and
power generators and energy of natural gas to meet the need
comprehensive integrity
marketers an important link for energy as and when it’s
management programs.
in the transmission of natural needed.
gas from Western Canada and
Pipeline companies are
US supply basins to markets The consistent and reliable
governed by construction
in central Canada, the Great delivery of natural gas is also
standards, material
Lakes region and the US served by an integrated,
specifications and regulatory
Northeast. Ten major pipelines continental pipeline network.
requirements which address
have interconnections in the The North American pipeline
on-going safety. For example,
Dawn area providing a variety of grid is interconnected, efficient,
the pipe is manufactured from
supply options. This integration expandable and highly reliable.
high-strength carbon steel
means shippers can source It therefore provides flexibility
with a special coating (cathodic
natural gas from all major North in the sourcing and delivery
protection) to protect it from
American supply basins and of natural gas and ensures a
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corrosion. Pipeline companies Commitment to Safety To ensure public safety while
operate programs to continually providing reliable service
Pipeline companies in Canada
inspect, test and undertake to customers, experienced
have an excellent performance
predictive assessments. and highly trained personnel
and safety record and pipelines Canadian Electricity Generation Portfolio - 1990 to 2007
operate
100%
4% and 3%
maintain these
3%
represent the most efficient and
4%
Rigorous preventative pipelines
90%
16% and 18% facilities using
13% 14%
safest mode of transportation Other
measures help to ensure the thoroughly
80% tested procedures
used to move fuel products.
structural integrity of the pipe 70% Nuclear
and with routine inspection 60%
60% 60%
and ongoing maintenance, a 50% 62% 60%
Hydro
pipeline system can support the 40%
gathering and transmission of 30% Coal
natural gas safely and reliably 20%
18%
over many decades. With
19%
15% Natural Gas
10% 16%
proper inspection and on-going 0% 2% 4% 5% 6%
1990 1995 2000 2007
maintenance, pipelines do not Source: NRCan End Use Database
deteriorate with age and can
last indefinitely.
Photo Courtesy of Trident Exploration Corp.
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and standards, while adhering
to strict regulations.
Field personnel inspect the
pipelines, perform pipeline
safety measures such as
cathodic protection, and
conduct maintenance and
repairs to the pipeline,
pumps, compressors, valves,
metering equipment, electronic
equipment, and calibrating
instruments. Routine gas control personnel who are requiring activity.
inspections of the pipes – responsible for monitoring the
both internal and external movement and pressure of gas Finally, pipeline companies
-- are conducted to ensure the within the pipeline system 24 have developed detailed and
integrity of the pipeline system. hours a day. comprehensive emergency
The devices used to clean and response plans and incident
inspect the insides of pipelines investigation procedures
are called “pigs” (because focused on safeguarding
the early models reportedly the public and personnel,
squealed like a piglet as they investigating the root cause of
moved through the pipe). any incident that may occur, and
Originally, pigs were simply sharing key learnings.
cleaning devices, with scrapers
to remove wax build-up. More The single largest threat to
recently, electronic devices have pipeline safety involves the
been added to create “smart unauthorized digging or activity
pigs” for pipeline inspection. Monitoring gas flows and pressures at a gas along pipeline right of ways.
control centre
Pipeline companies also Our industry believes that
conduct external inspections Emergency Shut-down (ESD) the most effective Damage
of the pipeline route including or line-break valves are located Prevention program involves
visual inspections of risers along pipelines as a means a comprehensive approach to
and meter stations, and aerial to isolate any anomalies in enforcement that includes a
inspections of the pipeline right pressure or flow and to purge system of graduated penalties,
of way by helicopter (particularly gas from the line to enable which corresponds with the
in remote locations) to ensure any planned or unplanned increasing level of offence.
there is no visible disturbance maintenance and repairs. Many The Canadian Energy Pipeline
to the ground or intrusions of these valves can be opened Association has called for
on the pipeline right of way. or shut remotely, enabling rapid amendments to existing
On-going monitoring of the isolation and protection of the legislation to allow for the
pipeline system is provided by pipeline system upstream and establishment of a graduated
downstream of the location civil penalty matrix.
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In the meantime, pipeline companies are hard at work educating landowners, the public, and
contractors about pipeline safety and how to recognize and react to unusual activity in the area.
Many are members of the Common Ground Alliance – a non-profit organization dedicated to shared
responsibility in damage prevention -- and to One-Call systems, which provide a one-stop service
for contractors and the public to determine if there are buried pipelines in their vicinity, prior to the
commencement of any ground
disturbance.
Safeguarding the
Environment
Our industry understands that
good safety and environmental
performance go hand-in-hand.
Canadians enjoy an outstanding
pipeline system to transport
energy to markets throughout
North America in the safest
and most environmentally
EnPower/Spectra Energy Waste Heat Recovery facility, Savona, BC
sound manner. We are
energy efficiency, reducing pipeline. Compressors are
world leaders in providing
emissions, safeguarding the driven by gas-fired turbines,
safe, reliable long distance
environment and enhancing similar to jet engines, and
energy transportation and are
safety. One example of such produce considerable heat.
developing infrastructure to
technology is waste heat Waste heat recovery technology
provide a source of cleaner-
recovery. Transporting gas uses the heat generated from
burning energy to meet North
through pipelines over long these compressor stations to
America’s needs.
distances requires the use of generate clean energy.
compressor stations placed Pristine Power Inc. and
The industry is employing new
at regular intervals along the ENMAX Green Power uses
technology aimed at improving
the waste heat produced by
two compressor stations
along Spectra Energy’s main
transmission pipeline in British
Columbia, to produce 10 MW
of electricity -- enough energy
to power 10,000 homes a year.
These projects will also offset
greenhouse gas emissions by
approximately 25,000 tonnes
a year, equivalent to removing
9,000 cars from our roads.
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Serving the Public
Interest
Regulatory oversight has helped
ensure that infrastructure is
developed commensurate
with need, and that natural gas
finds a pathway to market. As
a result, pipeline infrastructure
has been developed in a
manner that is intended to
serve the public good.
In order for transmission
and distribution systems to
remain in place to meet energy
needs over many decades,
access to land for facilities
and pipeline rights-of-way
is a key requirement. This
process is managed through
easements negotiated with
individual landowners and are
maintained over the life of
the facility. To facilitate this,
pipeline companies endeavour
to build strong, enduring
relationships with landowners,
but occasionally agreements
cannot be negotiated and this
requires the acquisition of
land (governed by legislation)
to serve the public need for
infrastructure (in much the
same was as land may be
acquired for highways, railways,
or other infrastructure intended
to serve the public good).
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Building for the Future – Issues and Opportunities
Meeting North America’s future energy needs is driving significant new investments in transmission
pipeline infrastructure in Canada. Timely investment in, and construction of pipeline and storage
infrastructure to connect these new supplies to markets will be critical to ensure that North America
has adequate supplies of natural gas when and where it’s needed.
Pipeline economics are a function of various construction costs including (the type of pipe/cost of
steel, length of pipeline, diameter of pipe, the environment and terrain) but are also influenced by a
number of other factors including the regulatory environment and approval timelines.
Over the years, the natural gas industry in Canada has demonstrated its interest in the responsible
development of infrastructure to meet the public interest. Our industry remains committed to doing
its part to meet North America’s energy needs in the future.
Canadian Natural Gas is a made-in-Canada advocacy project sponsored by the following associations:
Canadian Energy Pipeline Association
Association canadienne de pipelines d’énergie
nnnnnnPleasenrecycle.
©n2010nCanadiannNaturalnGas.
