Enbridge facilities near Rapid River, vital part of Line 5 | News, Sports, Employment

RR Branstrom | Daily Press A relief valve is shown at the Enbridge facility near Rapid River.

RAPID RIVER: A pump station on Enbridge’s Line 5, which transports crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario, is operating on US 41 north of Rapid River. The primary purpose of this site and others like it is to increase pressure to maintain fluid flow through the line as they travel east and south (across the UP, through the Straits of Mackinac and down the lower peninsula before crossing into Ontario north of Detroit), but it also serves to monitor conditions: measurements taken here are compared to other readings and used to identify anomalies. Upstream, the former pumping station is at Ironwood; the next one is in Manistique.

Enbridge, a Canadian company based in Calgary, has the largest pipeline network in North America and more than 12,000 employees. Line 5, with its 645-mile route from Superior to Sarnia, is just a fraction of the company’s total portfolio. The line, owned, operated and maintained by Enbridge, serves as a carrier vessel, providing transportation to customers shipping their products throughout the region. About 80 percent of the product moved annually is light and sweet crude oil, while about 20 percent is NGL. Most of the route is served by a 30-inch underground pipe; the underwater section at the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac is two 20-inch pipes.

The Daily Press recently toured the Rapid River facility. It is a point of responsibility area for those working out of the Enbridge office in Escanaba; they keep the 5 line from Ironwood west UP to just north of Gaylord under the bridge.

Much public attention has focused on the strait area, especially after the anchor of a trawling tug damaged the twin submerged pipelines in 2018. Calls for action came from citizens, environmentalists, agencies and representatives of the state for new measures to prevent a leak in the Great Lakes. Former Governor Rick Snyder made a deal with Enbridge to build a tunnel, funded by Enbridge. Current Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the line shut down, and Attorney General Dana Nessel sued the company when it continued operating.

Now, the Enbridge Strait Maritime Operations Center (ESMOC) monitors the strait area around the clock from a station located atop the former Mystery Spot on US 2, just west of St. Ignace, using the methodology they have called “Similar to what government agencies do in ports and waterways around the world.”

High-resolution infrared cameras in strategic positions above the water’s surface to monitor approaching vessels; there is radar for foggy weather; radios are used to communicate with ship captains; valves allow the flow to be stopped; weather conditions are taken into account; and hydrophones measure the severity of any collision with the pipeline and its location. There are plans to drill a deep tunnel under the strait to house a replacement pipe. This secondary containment would allow access and maintenance of the new line, and transport through the existing pipelines at the bottom of the lake would be stopped. However, opponents argue that as long as there is oil and NGLs flowing under the straits, the Great Lakes will be in danger.

Guided tours of ESMOC have been offered to the public and media, and Enbridge operates an information center at a store in downtown St. Ignace so they can address any concerns people may have.

“We want to be as transparent as we can as an operator,” said Technical Services Supervisor Brian VanOss. “We have nothing to hide. In fact, we’re proud of everything we do, and that’s why we welcome anyone who wants to learn more about how we operate safely.”

Showing Press Enbridge’s Rapid River Pumping Station, VanOss explained that the site was one of several located roughly every 50 to 60 miles along the 5-second line needed to optimize pressure. In more mountainous areas, pressure may need to be generated more frequently to push liquids up in elevation. Each of the facilities has a slightly different look.

This powerful Rapid station, and Line 5 as a whole, pumps approximately 23.8 million gallons of product, either NGL or oil, depending on orders, through the lines each day. A hum of power reverberates across the US 41 property, and earplugs are required in the pump room.

Densitometers, thermometers, ultrasonic flowmeters and more, with more than one of each in some locations for redundancy reasons, take measurements at the station. A material balance system in a computer reads the data and if there is anything abnormal, which could indicate a malfunction or a leak, it sets off an alarm.

Some processes do not require interaction. For example, inside the pump house, VanOss pointed to a fully automated pressure control valve that opens and closes, pinching the flow of liquid to keep from exceeding the maximum allowable pressure, and called it “the most important valve in the station”.

At the local level, employees can isolate and disconnect certain functions. A human operator in Edmonton, Alberta, who monitors readings at various Enbridge stations, can check what’s going on at Rapid and communicate with staff.

Automatic emergency response protocols can also be activated; for example, if a valve closes when it shouldn’t and too much pressure builds up, a relief valve automatically opens when a certain PSI level is reached, diverting the flow and relieving the pressure.

To prevent and mitigate accidents, a series of measures are established. Cathodic protection prevents corrosion of the pipes until it is time to replace the sections. named devices “pigs” run through the inside of the line to check for anomalies and possible damage. A helicopter flies over the subway Line 5 right-of-way between stations every two weeks. If there is a report of a gas smell or other suspicion that something may be wrong, operations are stopped and Enbridge investigates, VanOss said: “Any emergency call, we shut down. Any abnormal condition, we shut down. We will always shut down and investigate.”

VanOss, who also works for the Ensign Township Volunteer Fire Department, said the department usually gets one or two calls per winter about an odor or possible leak in the area, but the Rapid River Enbridge facility has never he was at fault.

To prepare for potential incidents, regular emergency response simulations are coordinated between Enbridge and agencies such as the Michigan Department of Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Coast Guard and more

On typical days, a software program generates work orders for technicians.

“When technicians report to work, they’ll open (the program) and have a list of things to do.” VanOss explained. “Everything is generated behind the scenes, which is very nice. It is a maintenance management program for daily work”.

And there is a lot to maintain and monitor. With its huge motors, meter cabinets, dozens of valves, wall of computers and cables, the station is UPPCO’s main electricity customer.

One thing unique about the Rapid River Pumping Station is that it is not only a point on the line to push product, but also an exit and entry point for one of Enbridge’s customers. The energy company Plains has a fractionation station right on the neighboring lot; Many readers have probably seen the large white balloon-like structure visible from US 41 that belongs to the Plains. When they receive an NGL order, Enbridge delivers it through a pipeline that is diverted from their main line. Plains boils the product to distill propane, which it then supplies to consumers, and the leftover NGLs are returned to Enbridge through another line.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, Michigan has more residential propane consumers than any other state. Enbridge’s pipelines carry much of the energy used and stored in Michigan, even at the end of Line 5 in Sarnia, some products are sent back.