Enbridge's latest update on the Norman Wells spill

Here is the latest from Enbridge on its spill of between 700 and 1,500 barrels of oil near Wrigley, NWT:

On May 9, Enbridge Inc. reported that it had confirmed at approximately 12:40 MT that day a crude oil leak from a pipeline on its Norman Wells System (Line 21) approximately 50 km south of the community of Wrigley, NWT. On May 20th Enbridge returned the Norman Wells line to service after completing the necessary repairs.

Enbridge is working to minimize helicopter traffic in the Willowlake River area. A 25-person camp is being established near the incident site to house crews while they continue cleanup and reclamation work. The camp is expected to be open this week. There has been an increase in truck traffic on the Mackenzie Highway between Fort Simpson and Wrigley due to the incident. We want to ensure the safety of our crews and the people in the community and ask that everyone use caution when travelling on the highway.

The oil remains contained and there are no impacts to moving water. Our original four barrel estimate was based on oil collected at the surface and did not take into account the subsurface impacts, which were believed to be not significantly different. The increase in subsurface oil was discovered during the ongoing environmental site assessment, which includes subsurface analysis and is standard practice for all releases. Based on current estimates provided by the third party experts on site, Enbridge anticipates the release volume could range from a minimum of 700 barrels to a maximum of 1,500 barrels. Based on its current analysis, Enbridge anticipates the probability that the maximum volume would be exceeded to be low.

Enbridge continues to regularly engage with First Nations, government officials and the public and we are committed to having open dialogue and transparent communications. The community information line remains operational and the phone number is 867-695-3158. People are encouraged to call if they have any questions regarding the incident.

The safety of people and the protection of the environment are our highest priorities and the Company is doing its best to ensure there is no impact to the land, wildlife and waterways. We are committed to regaining the community’s confidence in Enbridge as a reliable operator and safe transporter of energy.

[emphasis added]