Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
THE "PIG" Enbridge sends through its pipelines to check for dents, corrosion, and cracks. The Pig moves at the same rate of speed as the oil and feels its way through the pipes to identify potential trouble spots before they develop.
By IAN MINIELLY
Bessemer - Enbridge set up information booths inside the auditorium of Bessemer city hall Tuesday evening. The booths displayed information regarding pipeline safety and maintenance, transporting and storing crude oil, and the economic impact of Enbridge's services to Michigan and Wisconsin.
There was no lecture and one-way communication Tuesday evening as Enbridge provided a slew of folks ready for intimate one on one conversations with visitors. For someone expecting a one way conversation, being approached by employees of Enbridge who wanted to talk about their company was totally unexpected, as was the catering from Tacconelli's.
Becky Haase, senior advisor of community engagement said as a result of a "release" into the Kalamazoo River in 2010, Enbridge was mandated to host information sharing events within their jurisdiction.
One of the critical elements of pipeline safety are maintenance digs and the use of "pigs" to inspect the pipelines for corrosion, dents, or cracks. Enbridge said between 2012 and 2014 they spent $3.78 billion on maintenance, inspection, and leak detection across their crude oil transport system, which they said was the most extensive in the history of the North American pipeline industry.
