Nexen pipeline spills 1.3M gallons of emulsion in Alberta

The pipeline was being operated by Nexen Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s CNOOC Ltd, from its Long Lake oil sands facility in northern Alberta.

Reports said the pipeline, which belonged to Pace Oil and Gas, spilled near Rainbow Lake in northwestern Alberta.

The leak, which was discovered Wednesday afternoon, is the largest pipeline spill in the province in 35 years, when a 54,000 barrel oil spill became Canada’s worst-ever pipeline incident.

He says company staff have been on site to contain the spill and prevent impact on wildlife and a nearby pond.

Emulsion is a combination of bitumen, water and sand.

The leak prompted an immediate response from Nexen, which activated its emergency response plan.

Nexen said in a statement that “all necessary steps and precautions have been taken” and the company will protect the health and safety of all employees, contractors, the public and the environment.

Nexen has contained the spill in an area of about 40 metres by 400 metres and started cleanup, the AER said.

The emulsion has not flowed into a body of water, but it did spill into muskeg or bog, the AER said.

“They established containment, and effectively stopped the source of the release, so that’s good news”, says Murchland.

The rupture comes as the energy industry struggles to build support for a series of major pipeline proposals designed to move fast-growing oil sands production to new markets.

Nexen said no injuries occurred as a result of the spill and that the pipeline has been “isolated”.

The AER has directed Nexen to implement a wildlife protection plan.

Greenpeace Canada said Thursday the spill is “a good reminder that Alberta has a long way to go to address its pipeline problems”.

The pipeline spill on the California coast earlier this year spilled 79,000 liters of oil into the ocean.