• About
  • Which Energy Mix is this?
  • Contact
Celebrating our 1,000th edition. The climate news you need
No Result
View All Result
The Energy Mix
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities
SUBSCRIBE
DONATE
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities
SUBSCRIBE
DONATE
No Result
View All Result
The Energy Mix
No Result
View All Result
  FEATURED
BREAKING: 40% of Fossil Fuels Now Under Development Must Stay in the Ground May 17, 2022
Rocky Mountain Glaciers ‘Past Tipping Point’, with Some Expected to Vanish by 2030 May 17, 2022
UK Activists Block Russian Oil Tanker From Docking in Essex May 17, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Bid to Revive Doomed Nova Scotia LNG Project Collides with Germany’s Net-Zero Plans May 16, 2022
3,800 Residents Ordered to Evacuate after Flooding in Hay River, NWT May 16, 2022
Next
Prev
Home Fossil Fuels Pipelines / Rail Transport

BREAKING: Trans Mountain Pipeline Faces Scrutiny on Soil Stability, Fraser River Impact

January 6, 2022
Reading time: 4 minutes
Primary Author: Clifford Maynes @CJMaynes

‘These Insurers Can’t Hide’, Campaigner Says, After Regulator Allows Trans Mountain to Keep Identities Secret

Jay Phagan/Flickr

127
SHARES
 

The federal Crown corporation building the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion has been handed a seven-day deadline to answer tough questions about soil stability, drilling method, and environmental impacts after proposing to redrill and reroute part of a 1.5-kilometre tunnel beneath the Fraser River, an iconic salmon-bearing waterway near the Lower Mainland population centre of Coquitlam.

In a notice yesterday to Trans Mountain legal representative Jeremy Barretto of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER) gave [PDF] Trans Mountain a January 13 deadline to respond to concerns filed by environmental campaigners, most of them associated with a coalition challenging the redrill request.

In a separate notice, the federal regulator asked [PDF] the company for a “detailed response” to the campaigners’ concerns about the “design and feasibility of the proposed revised route”, as well as the extent of its engagement with Indigenous communities in the area.

In a release this week, the Stop TMX coalition cites a “series of troubling incidents around this segment of the multi-billion-dollar project, all pointing to cost-cutting measures on risk management”. The coalition is calling for measures to maximize the safety of the crossing, including soil testing, extended casing to prevent spills of drilling fluids, a change in drilling method, and more detailed reporting of environmental releases.

The group also expresses concern about the risk of future pipeline failure as a result of an additional horizontal bend in the pipe.

Trans Mountain announced in late December that it must redrill 332 metres of the tunnel under construction, shifting the path about eight metres to the east. The announcement cited “mechanical failure” and “drill pipe failed” as TMX’s reasoning for the change. The coalition maintains the problem stems from a lack of soil testing along the route of the crossing, and the use of a drilling method known as horizontal direct drilling (HDD).

“Taken with the other issues at this location—sinkholes that threatened the lives of motorists; the release of a cubic metre of drilling fluid into the river—the announcement [implies] the application of trial and error and refreshes concerns about the risks of this project and its management,” the coalition release states. “In the case of this segment of the 1,150-kilometre new pipeline, the world’s greatest salmon-producing river is at risk.”

The coalition states that the choice of drilling method for crossings must be informed by a thorough analysis of soil structure, based on test bores and soil surveys. Multiple test bores were drilled on the route for the Thompson, North Thompson, and Clearwater River crossings. Test drilling on the Fraser was conducted between 2002 and 2009, but at locations 276 to 500 metres away, which the coalition says may not accurately reflect geophysical conditions along the actual route.

In feasibility reports submitted by Trans Mountain to the then National Energy Board in 2015, BCG Engineering expressed “considerable uncertainty” and recommended additional test bores at the Fraser River crossing. However, only one borehole was drilled in 2017, and it was located about 300 metres from the route, the coalition says.

A central issue is the decision by Trans Mountain to use horizontal direct drilling (for the Fraser River crossing. HDD is the least expensive method of trenchless construction. However, in 2015, Trans Mountain engineering consultant Hatch Scott MacDonald warned about hydraulic fracturing in the Coquitlam area and suggested the use of a technique called drilling intersect rather than HDD. Trans Mountain used yet another method, direct pipe, for its Clearwater River crossing, and plans to do the same for its Vedder River crossing this year.

In a 2018 report to Trans Mountain, Thurber Engineering advised that it was concerned about potential “geotechnical challenges” with the crossing. Thurber “strongly favoured” the use of the drilling intersect method, combined with casing on both sides of river.

Now, the coalition is calling for a micro-tunnel boring machine/direct pipe method of drilling, a “better solution to avoid more release of drilling fluid in the Fraser River.”

The proposed redrill includes the addition of 100 to 130 metres of casing, designed to protect the Mary Hill ByPass highway from settling and potential releases of drilling fluid. In November, the bypass on a highway ramp developed a sink hole, which the coalition attributes to pipeline tunnel collapse but Trans Mountain blames on heavy rainfalls. The coalition wants extended casing under the river to prevent future releases.

A company spokesperson told Tri City News the change in route is a “minor deviation” that is “necessary to mitigate challenges with the current path.” The email added that “our construction methods for the Fraser River HDD have been reviewed and approved by the [Canadian Energy Regulator],” and “preconstruction subsurface investigations align with conditions encountered during construction.”

But coalition spokesperson Peter Vranjkovic countered that “testing and investment in a river crossing of such high stakes has been wholly inadequate,” with the result that “the world’s greatest salmon producing river is at risk.”

He added that the pipeline makes no sense environmentally, “but if you’re going to do it, do it safely.”

Coalition member organizations include Protect the Planet/Stop TMX, Mountain Protectors, Protect the Inlet, Extinction Rebellion Vancouver, STAND.Earth, Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion (BROKE), Climate Convergence, Dogwood, Colony Farms Regional Park, Babies for Climate Justice, Sustainabiliteens Vancouver, 350 Vancouver, 350 SFU, and the Wilderness Committee.



in Biodiversity & Habitat, Canada, Cities & Communities, First Peoples, Health & Safety, Legal & Regulatory, Pipelines / Rail Transport, Sub-National Governments

The latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Related Posts

Mounting Drought Risk Confronts London, Other World Cities
Drought, Famine & Wildfires

Mounting Drought Risk Confronts London, Other World Cities

May 19, 2022
74
85,000-Hectare Fort Mac Wildfire Expected to Grow for Days
Drought, Famine & Wildfires

Six Traumatic Years After ‘The Beast’, Fort McMurray Remains Loyal to Big Oil

May 19, 2022
34
‘New New Math’ Means Keeping Even More Fossils in the Ground: McKibben
International Security & War

U.S. Can’t Drill Its Way to Energy Security, Jenkins Warns

May 19, 2022
33

Comments 2

  1. Roger Bryenton says:
    4 months ago

    Why is Vancity contributing to a Toronto Hospital retrofit? How about spending BC’s money in BC?

    Reply
    • Sheila says:
      4 months ago

      We are Vancity Community Investment Bank—which should be shortened to VCIB. Part of the Vancity Group, VCIB operates across Canada while Vancity (the credit union) operates solely within the province of BC. VCIB offers specialized financing solutions for social purpose real estate and clean energy projects, like the wastewater project at Toronto Western Hospital.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Trending Stories

BREAKING: 40% of Fossil Fuels Now Under Development Must Stay in the Ground

May 18, 2022
408
Mounting Drought Risk Confronts London, Other World Cities

Mounting Drought Risk Confronts London, Other World Cities

May 19, 2022
74
Lack of Consent Drives Indigenous Opposition to Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mining Plan

Lack of Consent Drives Indigenous Opposition to Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mining Plan

May 17, 2022
205
Wildfire

U.S. Utilities Warn of Hazards, Rolling Blackouts as Heat Waves Increase Demand

May 12, 2022
315
Fossils Fret as McKenna Sends Mammoth LNG Project to Cabinet Review

EXCLUSIVE: Bid to Revive Doomed Nova Scotia LNG Project Collides with Germany’s Net-Zero Plans

May 16, 2022
461
Floating Tidal Project Linked to Nova Scotia Grid in Canadian First

Floating Tidal Project Linked to Nova Scotia Grid in Canadian First

May 17, 2022
151

Recent Posts

85,000-Hectare Fort Mac Wildfire Expected to Grow for Days

Six Traumatic Years After ‘The Beast’, Fort McMurray Remains Loyal to Big Oil

May 19, 2022
34
‘New New Math’ Means Keeping Even More Fossils in the Ground: McKibben

U.S. Can’t Drill Its Way to Energy Security, Jenkins Warns

May 19, 2022
33
Ontario Contemplates ‘Ultra-Low Carbon’ Super-Agency

Ontario’s New Highway 413 Would Boost Emissions, Bake In ‘Auto-Dependent Sprawl’

May 19, 2022
33
Newfoundland Offers Suncor $175 Million to Restart Terra Nova Offshore Oilfield

Newfoundland Opens New Round of Offshore Oil Bidding

May 19, 2022
25
Farmers’ Mental Health Strained by Climate-Driven Weather Extremes

Farmers’ Mental Health Strained by Climate-Driven Weather Extremes

May 19, 2022
25
Calgary Company to Supply 180 MWh of Battery Capacity to Alberta Grid

Calgary Company to Supply 180 MWh of Battery Capacity to Alberta Grid

May 19, 2022
30
Next Post
Safety Information Gaps Prompt U.S. Regulator to Reject Advanced Nuclear Reactor Design

Safety Information Gaps Prompt U.S. Regulator to Reject Advanced Nuclear Reactor Design

The Energy Mix

Copyright 2022 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy and Copyright
  • Cookie Policy

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities

Copyright 2022 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

2022 ONTARIO GENERAL ELECTION

KEEP UP WITH ONTARIO’S CLIMATE CHANGE ELECTION

election-checkmark
Get Election Notifications

2022 ONTARIO GENERAL ELECTION

KEEP UP WITH ONTARIO’S CLIMATE CHANGE ELECTION

election-checkmark
Get Election Notifications
The Energy Mix - The climate news you need

2022 ONTARIO GENERAL ELECTION

KEEP UP WITH ONTARIO’S CLIMATE CHANGE ELECTION

election-checkmark
Get Election Notifications

2022 ONTARIO GENERAL ELECTION

KEEP UP WITH ONTARIO’S CLIMATE CHANGE ELECTION

election-checkmark
Get Election Notifications
The Energy Mix - The climate news you need

2022 Ontario General Election

Keep up with Ontario’s Climate Change Election

election-checkmark
GET THE NEWS THAT MATTERS MOST

2022 Ontario General Election

Keep up with Ontario’s Climate Change Election

election-checkmark
GET THE NEWS THAT MATTERS MOST
The Energy Mix - The climate news you need

2022 Ontario General Election

Keep up with Ontario’s Climate Change Election

election-checkmark
GET THE NEWS THAT MATTERS MOST

2022 Ontario General Election

Keep up with Ontario’s Climate Change Election

election-checkmark
GET THE NEWS THAT MATTERS MOST
The Energy Mix - The climate news you need

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?