Husky is now allowed to restart operations of its TAN 16 line, following last years oil spill in which more than 200,000 litres of oil and solvent was released, with 90,000 litres making it into the river.
The oil spill forced multiple municipalities to shut down their river water intakes for a couple of months, which led to difficulties for residents along the river in getting fresh water. According to a report issued by Husky in November, the break was due to “geotechnical forces” or ground movement, which caused the pipe to break.
In an email, the Saskatchewan Government says, “significant testing, inspection and evaluation of the repairs to this line have been undertaken.” This includes thicker pipe, meters to monitor ground movement, meters to monitor ground water levels that may contribute to slope movement and state-of-the art fiber optic systems to monitor both pipeline strain and slope movement.
Husky will also be required to submit weekly data from strain gauges installed on the pipeline, conduct in-line inspections every six months to evaluate pipe condition and movement, as well as geometry and submit an engineering assessment of the water crossing every 12 months.
The investigation into the spill is ongoing and the Public Prosecutions Branch of the Ministry of Justice has yet to decide if charges should be laid.
The total cleanup costs from the Husky oil spill have been pegged at $107 million.
