Enbridge and Kinder Morgan need to listen

LNG projects ok ..

But, of immediate concern are ‘our’ wannabe OIL pipe liners –they need a ‘talking to’. The BC public’ requirements are ‘conveniently’ ignored by them... . Enbridge leaders have done nothing to convince me that they have CHANGED their OPERATIONS CULTURE to something we can accept —

Typically, pipelines don’t fail—PEOPLE FAIL PIPELINES-- a la Kalamazoo,Michigan and that infamous 40+ year ‘old’ pipeline.

Further,the BC public want the bitumen laden oil tankers OUT of Douglas Channel.

Let the Enbridge Board TELL us how they will change their organization and mandate if they want to operate in our province,today and 50 years hence,( pipelines DON’T IMPROVE with age)!What we want is for the folks sitting in those fancy leather covered chairs, around the big the mahogany table, to ‘COME OUT’ and face the public in open forums and CONVINCE US that they will change and tell HOW they propose to do that. Will we believe them—that’s up to them! Boards claim to be the stewards of their corporations—OK, show us your stewardship.

That ‘OTHER’ wannabe oil pipe liner has this insane idea that we should allow MORE and BIGGER bitumen laden super size oil tankers to wiggle their way through Burrard Inlet—go figure ??

Surely Premier Clark, you’re going to TELL Kinder Morgan to forget that crazy scheme.I’d guess that the Burrard Inlet Community residents (BICres) will support anyone that can talk some common sense into these ‘deaf’ oil pipe liners...

So Premier, call your colleagues(Premier Alison Redford and Prime Minister Stephen Harper) soon, and work out a plan to get these revenue generating oil pipelines built—BUT with fair consideration for the BC public !

OK?

Newfies show the way,,

 

Subject: Newfies show the way!

What’s going on?The press tells us that our East Coast cousins are looking at more offshore drilling ..and maybe Western sourced oil pipelines,etc.??---Meanwhile we lotus landers dither—and cry out,’no pipelines’,’no off shore exploration’,’oil tankers are feared’...

Recall the Ocean Ranger(East coast offshore oil exploration platform) disaster of 1982 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Ranger ) . Well I guess the East Coast leaders and oil folks have more confidence in their ability to learn from their experience and move on? Maybe we ‘lotus landers’ should just get ‘off the POT’!

Come on BC..let’s progress. Yes,we don’t want ‘yahoos’, running the show—but we’ll accept organizations that are willing to demonstrate their Corporate bona fides—starting at the top!

Point: Our natural resources have supplied Canadians and much of the world with valuable natural resources—we live with a relatively high standard of living as a result.There are risks and rewards—Those complaining are often the very same folks that want more ‘free government services’ but forget that those ‘free services’ arrive because of risk takers and hard working folks(you know—parents and grandparents!)

Yes—young people should challenge and demand answers—together the entrepreneurs ,leaders should be ‘steered’ into developing progressive new opportunities to create a better social environment.

Some will profit—some will lose---but progress stops when we give up trying.

The horse and buggy era sounds great—but who’s going to clean up that mess?

Get real Joe!

Subject: Get real Joe!

I see that Ottawa are proposing new environmental fines http://o.canada.com/2013/02/15/harper-government-proposes-new-fines-for-nuclear-and-pipeline-industries/..for pipelines and nuclear industries.Fines to be $25,000 for individuals and $100,000 for corporations(trivial,even laughable!)...to ensure resource development is ‘safe and responsible’ says Joe Oliver,Natural Resources Minister.

FINES don’t stop pipeline leaks—PEOPLE stop pipeline leaks.

Start with Corporations that implement sound operations,maintenance and training plans for their all their PEOPLE that operate and maintain pipeline, facilities.

See ‘Summary of Enbridge Organizational Deficiencies’(per final U.S. NTSB report).

“Although these deficiencies involved different elements of Enbridge’s operations, and

may appear unrelated, taken together they suggest a systemic deficiency in the company’s APPROACH TO SAFETY”

Our lawmakers must insist that pipe liner organizations include an organizational structure that addresses ‘system operations safety’ as a public responsibility. The board provides STEWARDSHIP we’re told . Enbridge’ recent history suggests that there’s lots of work to be done to clarify who should be looking after pipeline operations.

Suggestion: Create a Corporate Technical Officer (CTO) and let the CTO sit at Board meetings to keep the Board apprised of ‘areas of concern’ and what actions are required to maintain a sound,safe system—on new AND older systems.The CTO, (along with a team of operations and technical experts),becomes responsible to monitor and report and the Board then becomes accountable to LISTEN and then ACT—by approving and implementing necessary action.That’s what I would call Stewardship.

Come on Enbridge show us the new Corporate Mission Statement that spells out exactly how your Board and Organization has changed –particularly your new APPROACH TO SAFETY.

Then the public and decision makers may start to look favourably at your Northern Gateway proposal.

Get real Joe—try TELLING these all wannabe pipe liners(Enbridge and Kinder Morgan,etc.) to commit fully to the safety culture WE REQUIRE.

OR, call for new proposals!

 

Enbridge culture of safety?

Is there a lingering distrust of the Enbridge Operating Chiefs--- the folks in the Boardroom.

Look at what we heard during U.S. NTSB hearings after the (Enbridge) Kalamazoo,Michigan pipeline fiasco. http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents/p21799/81081E.pdf

The NTSB sums up “Although these deficiencies involved different elements of Enbridge’s operations, and

may appear unrelated, taken together they suggest a systemic deficiency in the company’s approach to safety; p.114”

What has Enbridge done to convince us that they’ll operate differently on the Northern Gateway pipeline ... two , ten , or 50 years hence?

Yes- there’s lot’s of talk in the ubiquitous Enbridge ads, from Janet Holder, about how ‘wonderful things will be’ on the new pipeline......but as another lady once said ‘WHERE’S the BEEF?

Management often will fall back onto an old ‘dodge’ , “we followed all the regulations and standards of the day” . However, ultimately, the ‘buck’ has to stop somewhere—if the Board was not responsible for the Kalamazoo, Michigan incident---then WHO WAS?

Leaders don’t follow standards, they set the standard—continually;during construction and thereafter.

I don’t know the ‘fix’ for Enbridge ‘public image’ ---but somehow we need to hear and see something convincing ; not from Janet Holder—but from the full Board of Directors—show us how you’ve changed your organization and ‘culture’.

I’m hoping to see an Operations Safety Epiphany by the Enbridge Board...I suggest that a Board affirmation that operations safety will be dealt with purposefully –as ‘a priority and continually’; would be welcomed by the decision makers and the public, even at this late date.

Corporate technical officer(CTO)-what's that

Imagine an P.Eng. in the Board room(unless in disguise) advising Directors about operational matters!Banks require accountants in their backrooms for sure—but complex technical operations seem also to be ‘run’ buy accountants and maybe lawyers—all good folks I know---but where are the technical officers?(Why not a Corporate Technical Officer?)—likely out ‘cleaning up the mess’!

Engineers are not sufficiently apparent in the ‘scheme of things’.What/how can we enlighten the world and improve things?Do we all ‘need, to add MBA to our CVs---My whining won’t solve the problem but the world needs to include more technical advisors in their (corporate and legislative) governance? My only remaining option is to yap at anyone that might listen—not much time left(1957 engineering grad) –though late in my mission, I try—With that in mind I do offer the occasional letter to various media and politicians,etc.—mostly in vain ,but surprisingly with the occasional personal response—So I forward this and hope that somehow we can come out of the wilderness and begin to show the world what they’re missing.Engineers, alone, won’t save the world but we do make it a better place,in my opinion!

“The Enbridge Nightmare(see recently released NTSB/Enbridge reports) is a making of their own---a lack of commitment to operational training by management and OF management can lead to Nightmares.Management often will fall back onto the old ‘dodge’ such as “we followed all the regulations,standards of the day”—give me a break—systems start to become obsolete after day 2 of startup—Besides ‘leader’s don’t follow standards,they set the standard! A cruel thing to say but life is cruel and managements’ obligations are demanding and ceaseless .So,what to do—Listening to your own people(is anyone listening?) is often the best place to start and they will tell you where to find the ‘areas of concern’ and then do something about it(but be sure have an open door policy with meaning)---Accountants have their role but complex physical systems need ongoing scrutiny—operations and engineering folks should be at the fore---so where’s the Financial Officer in this picture---probably in the Board room advising about ways to increase share value,OK. Now tell me where the Corporate Technical Officer is---well firstly ,‘We don’t have such a beast’—they(engineers,operations people) always want to spend money –and that’s not our business,etc. Result –often one big screw up—or maybe 2! Think of Kalamazoo oil spill, Ocean Ranger oil platform loss,Space ship Challenger disaster,Walkerton E-Coli fiasco,Ford Pinto scenario,etc.,etc., Hindsight engineering is not easy---but foresight engineering is one hell of a lot more difficult-right?—We may have to devote a lot of resources to this sometimes trial and error engineering—a costly exercise for sure---like insurance. But if, as a Director, I’m not held accountable and I can deflect the CONSEQUENCES to someone else—to hell with worrying about CONSEQUENCES! Eventually , a Board’s delaying of action can be the most costly ‘action’—will Enbridge survive this fiasco—they probably will survive---I’m hoping to see an epiphany by the Enbridge Board—maybe not as significant as Lyndon B. Johnson where he made the impossible ,possible by uttering 3 words “we shall overcome”—see http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/johnson.htm But we can only hope that we can overcome and get on with the job! “

 

 

The missing link?

This is about the 1973 freighters collision near Point Atkinson and the resultant fuel oil spill clean up activities at Ambleside Beach. See Hansard link for details. We’re told that “A slick extends from Fisherman's Cove to Ambleside, from 5- to 30-ft. wide, and has hit the rocky beach at Dunderave and Ambleside” –a relatively minor leak?..The collision occurred on a clear night and calm seas we’re told.

--from Hansard http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/30th3rd/30p_03s_730925p.htm see pages 207,208

---Ambleside photo http://www.johndenniston.ca/blogwp4/?p=456

---Twicsy--more Ambleside photo http://twicsy.com/i/Q9wwZb#A3TbQ11UBM7jZe4A.03

Here’s an interesting observation(I think)--Not too long ago I was able to find the Vancouver Sun oil spill (high quality) pictures and report online ,with this link below--

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/history+September+1973/7294276/story.html

--but now the Vancouver Sun ‘page cannot be found’ I’m told??? Did the Sun PULL that photo,why?---The ‘twicsy’ link above shows the cleanup effort of some young volunteers—a picture I’d guess Kinder Morgan would rather be told that it... “cannot be found”

I wonder how long before ‘someone’ decides that ‘HANSARD cannot be found’??

Get on with it ,already!

Subject: Get on with it,already!

Barbara Yaffe’s recent column

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Alberta+must+respect+pipeline+concerns/7918801/story.html

prompted me to offer this comment ;

1. the oil pipeline and shipping proposals (by Enbridge and Kinder Morgan) are necessary and require some ‘adjustments’; thus far, bullying is not working!

2. oil pipe lines and oil tankers are here to stay

3. all governments (local,Provincial and Federal) want/need the the revenue

4.the outstanding/controversial issues remaining can be dealt with

5.BC public are not a “bunch of earth mothers and fathers and eco freaks” as my recent Wild Rose Land Émigré friend suggested to me —he went on to suggest that without Alberta oil we need to “figure out how to power cars and trucks and aircraft with chicken feathers from Chilliwack! Quite funny —but I suggest , likely the prevailing feeling of many Albertans.

6.BC is not trying to pull off a PQ-NL power swindle deal—(yes,a Canadian solution should be our goal)

7.our leaders (Christy,Alison and Stephen?) need to sit down and hammer out a common sense deal(I suggest Kelowna as an Alberta friendly location)

8.the idealists will always be ‘around’ but ultimately the ‘common sense’ public will decide ; a few key concerns are—Burrard Inlet location,Douglas Channel location; and based on ‘online review’ the lack of Corporate operations SAFETY CULTURE in the proponent corporations. Finally ,who pays for the inevitable oil spill—be in a Kalamazoo like swamp,near a river or major spawning area,in a harbour or on our ocean shores(insurance is offered but we want to see the details and how will these SPILL DISASTER FUNDS be created and managed)?

The public and the project proponents want to ‘get on’ with these, obviously, necessary projects. So, to our leaders ,put away your ‘blinders’—and LEAD!

Surely the public(voters) don’t NEED to wait until the next election?

--or DO WE ?

The Elephant in the room-still there!

In Prince Rupert,

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/government+questions+Northern+Gateway+experts+spill+plan/7921013/story.html ,

Terry Lake (BC Environment Minister) agreed that “this is not just about Gateway(Enbridge Pipeline)...then he (Lake)goes on to say ‘we want a regulated,legislated system...to MINIMIZE THE RISK .. and to respond to ANY incidents...and we’ve been urging the federal government to develop (coastline?) regulations,etc.—(the coastline is under federal jurisdiction).

In Ottawa,

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Ottawa+spill+plan+cope+with+coming+supertankers/7920670/story.html

Scott Vaughn,Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development states that ”the Harper government’s disaster planning has not kept pace with proposals to greatly expand oilsand exports from B.C” . In 2010 there were 600 tankers on our coast; soon to be 2400 tankers(many with increased capacity).

What to do...?

1. Terry Lake’ suggestion; ‘minimize the risk’—you know, like get out of Douglas channel and Burrard inlet,etc..

2.Create a JOINT ‘project proponents and government’ oil spill OPERATIONS PLAN and financial spill DISASTER FUND –all the those benefitting to provide funding (including oil producers,shippers,pipeliners and each benefitting government) based on their share of the ‘PROFITS’ from the project.

3.Call on the world’s insurance houses and to assist in development of a ‘B.C.’ ocean Disaster Cost Recovery Fund.

4.Oil spill OPERATIONS PLAN (acquire materiel,build facilities and train staff) and develop joint plans with other jurisdictions.

Other ‘transport industries’ have similar problems—for instance,the airline industry has evolved greatly,’safety wise’—But there’s still the chance that a 747 may ‘land’ at Georgia and Granville or your bedroom—there are no guarantees—but we can always do better...if we try!

...OR someone come up with a better workable plan..please.

Seems strange that, after these everlasting NEB goings-on, a key issue (ocean oil spills) has been essentially ignored—

Yes, the problem is not within NEB terms of reference—but THE PROBLEM IS REAL and requires action—POLITICAL action,NOW!

Come on leaders—LEAD