Sending a powerful signal that Canada is putting pipeline safety at the top of its energy priorities, the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) has released for the first time a pipeline industry performance report detailing what Canadian pipeliners have been doing to improve safety, minimise environmental impacts and maximize operational reliability of their collective pipeline systems.

CEPA's members operate around 117,000 km of pipeline in Canada and the United States. Its President, Brenda Kenny, says that more needs to be done to build public trust and confidence in this vast network, and that its report will play a big part in doing that. She added that CEPA wishes “to demonstrate to Canadians that we’re serious about earning and keeping their trust.”

CEPA’s 2015 pipeline industry performance report also tells a story of collaboration, co-operation and sharing best practices—because pipeline companies don’t compete in the area of improving safety and reliability.

Itemizing pipeline incidents, there were 122 crude oil and natural gas spills and releases in 2014. Four of those were categorized as “significant,” while 80 percent occurred within pipeline facilities and the vast majority were minor in nature, such as pinhole leaks.

More than 45,000 km of pipelines were inspected in 2014 using sensitive, MRI-like inline inspection tools;
$23 million was invested in innovative technology in 2014, focused on prevention, inspection, and leak detection; 335 emergency response drills were held in 2014; for any given kilometer of pipeline, there’s a one-in-20,000-year likelihood of a spill larger than 50 barrels.

The 2015 performance report also makes note of CEPA’s Integrity First program—which works with the pipeline industry and the public to ensure best practices are applied and communicated openly.