Trans Mountain pipeline restart set up to reopen on Sunday, pending final repairs and approval

Photo: The Canadian Press

The Trans Mountain Corp. stated they plan to restart the pipeline on Sunday in an update, after a precautionary shutdown was put into effect as a result of heavy rains and flooding throughout BC.

The company said that while the pipeline was down, it remained safely in a static condition and there was no indication of any product release or serious damage to the pipe. Any necessary repairs have been completed.

A detailed review of the pipe’s integrity and geotechnical assessments of the surrounding landscape to confirm that the line is ready to restart.

Preparing the restart has been an ongoing, heavy job in order to reinstate the access to damaged roads, changes in river flows, and adverse weather, the company shared.

The pipeline has been shut down since Nov. 14.

“We expect that all assessments, repairs and protective earthworks necessary for a safe restart will be completed by tomorrow and plans have been developed and shared with the Canada Energy Regulator (CER),” the company stated.

The restart is planned to take place during daylight hours tomorrow, pending the CER concurrence and final repair work. Teams will closely monitor the field and technology systems operated by the control centre.

Emergency management teams and equipment remain staged in key areas with booms proactively deployed in the unlikely event of a release.

Additional work will be completed over the coming weeks, as Trans Mountain conducts additional inline inspection, armouring of riverbanks and adding ground cover or relocating sections of the pipeline.