Line 3 had an accident in Grand Rapids, MN in 1991. How do we know something like this won’t happen again?

Enbridge did have a release in Grand Rapids, MN in 1991, but the oil was quickly and thoroughly recovered and there was no permanent damage to the Mississippi River. In fact, this year, that area of the river has been identified by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as one of the cleanest and most pristine portions of the river in the state.

Technology has improved significantly to help prevent accidents like this from happening, and if they do happen, to be able to quickly stop the accident from being catastrophic. Replacing Line 3 will ensure the latest technology will be applied to the Line 3 project and the new pipeline.

Between 2008 through 2017 Enbridge has transported over 22 billion barrels of crude oil and liquids with a safe delivery record of 99.99966 percent.  Enbridge’s goal is to strive for zero incidents. From 2011-2016, Enbridge spent $5.15 billion on system integrity and leak detection across their crude oil and liquids pipeline operations. This investment is just one way that Enbridge meets and exceeds government regulations with the latest technology for prevention, monitoring, and emergency response:

Prevention:

  • Careful selection and testing of pipe prior to and during manufacture
  • X-Ray and Ultrasonic testing of all welds made to a pipeline
  • Durable coating systems to protect pipe from corrosion and corrosion inhibitors
  • Preventive maintenance digs for any identified features that need closer visual inspection

Monitoring:

Emergency Response:

  • On-call, 24/7 protocol in place for rapid response to any incident
  • Equipment and resources available along the Line 3 right-of-way

Additional Information:

The Truth about Line 3 

With so much information being shared and gathered about the Line 3 replacement project, it’s important to help everyone stay focused on the facts, address any misconceptions, and make sure that information about Line 3 is grounded in truth.

Minnesotans for Line 3 has identified some common questions about the project along with information, facts, and other background that answer those important questions.