From the States: Energy crisis may result if pipeline shuts down

摘要

An effort by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) to shut down a section of Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline would create a "massive energy crisis" for the state and surrounding region if it is successful, company executives warned Tuesday. Speaking during Enbridge's Investors Day presentation, Vern Yu, president, liquids pipelines, expressed confidence the company would win the fight to continue operating the pipeline, which transports up to 540,000 b/d of light crude oil and mixed NGL from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. Last month, Whitmer moved to revoke a 67-year-old easement allowing the company to operate a segment of the pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. Whitmer, who campaigned on a pledge to shut down the pipeline, says Line 5 poses a threat of oil spills in the Great Lakes. Enbridge responded by filing suit in federal court seeking to bar Michigan from revoking the easement. On Tuesday, Yu disputed Whitmer's claim that the pipeline poses a threat, saying the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration reviewed Line 5 operations this summer and determined that the pipeline continued to operate safely. Line 5 supplies fuel to Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania in the U.S., and Ontario and Quebec in Canada. The company says 10 regional refineries would be impacted by forcing the line to shut.