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Statistical summary: Pipeline transportation occurrences in 2015

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Foreword

This document is a summary of selected 2015 pipeline safety data. It covers federally regulated pipelines only. Data concerning non-federally regulated pipelines reported to the TSB are not included in this report.

The TSB gathers and uses this data during the course of its investigations to analyse safety deficiencies and identify risks in the Canadian transportation system.

The 2015 data were collected according to the reporting requirements described in the TSB Regulations in force during that calendar year.

The statistics presented here reflect the TSB database at 17 February 2016. Since the occurrence data are constantly being updated in the live database, the statistics may change slightly over time.

Because many occurrences are not formally investigated, information recorded on some occurrences may not have been verified. Consequently, be cautious in using these statistics.

The following data tables are associated with the Statistical Summary – Pipeline Occurrences 2015.

The federally regulated pipeline system

In 2015, in the federally regulated pipeline system,


Accidents

Overview of accidents

No pipeline accidents were reported to the TSB in 2015,Footnote 2 down from a total of 5 in 2014 and down from the annual average of 8 in the previous 5 year period (2010 to 2014).

Pipeline activity increased 1% from 2014.Footnote 3 A general indicator of pipeline transportation safety in Canada is the pipeline accident rate. The 2015 rate was 0 pipeline accidents per exajoule,Footnote 4 down from 0.3 in 2014, and down from the annual average of 0.6 in 2010 to 2014 (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Number of accidents and accident rate (accidents per exajoule Footnote 5)
The figure is a bar graph representing the number of pipeline accidents and accident rate per year from 2006 to 2015.
Figure 1 data table
Number of accidents and accident rate
Year Accidents  Accident rate
2006 9 0.687022901
2007 7 0.534351145
2008 6 0.48
2009 15 1.209677419
2010 11 0.887096774
2011 5 0.387596899
2012 7 0.527601073
2013 11 0.774647887
2014 5 0.333555704
2015 0 0

Location of accidents

Over the past 10 years (2006–2015), 43.4% of pipeline accidents occurred at compressor stations and gas processing plants, and 26.3% occurred on transmission lines (Figure 2). The remaining pipeline accidents (30.3%) occurred at pump stations, terminals, meter stations, and on gathering lines.

Figure 2. Percentage of accidents by facility type, 2006–2015
The figure is a pie chart that shows the breakdown of accidents by facility type for a 10 year period from 2006-2015.
Figure 2 data table
Percentage of accidents by facility type, 2006–2015
Facility type Number  Percentage
Compressor station  25 32.9
Gas processing plant  8 10.5
Transmission line  20 26.3
Gathering line  4 5.3
Other  19 25

Fatalities

There have been no fatal accidents on a federally regulated pipeline system directly resulting from the operation of a pipeline since the inception of the TSB.

Release of product

Although no accidents were reported in 2015, over the past 10 years (2006 to 2015), 41 of the 76 occurrences identified as accidentsFootnote 6 resulted in a release of product. Natural gas was released in 20 accidents, with 6 releases of less than 1 cubic metre, 2 releases between 1 and 25 cubic metres, 2 releases between 26 and 1000 cubic metres, and 10 releases over 1000 cubic metres. Crude oil was released in 13 accidents, with 8 releases of less than 1.5 cubic metre (9.44 barrels (bbl)), 1 release between 1.5 and 25 cubic metres (between 9.44 barrels and 157 bbl), 3 releases between 26 and 1000 cubic metres (between 157 and 6290 bbl), and 1 release over 1000 cubic metres (6290 bbl).

Incidents

Overview of incidents

In 2015, 99 pipeline incidentsFootnote 7,Footnote 8 (Figure 3) were reported to the TSB, down from 134 in 2014 and down from the annual average of 147 in the previous 5 years (2010 to 2014). With the new TSB Regulations in effect starting 1 July 2014, there was a decrease in the number of reported incidents involving releases of low vapour pressure hydrocarbons from that date to the end of 2015.

Figure 3.
The figure is a bar graph representing the number of pipeline incidents and its trend line per year from 2006 to 2015.
Figure 3 data table
Number of pipeline incidents, 2006–2015
Year  Incidents 
2006 62
2007 64
2008 84
2009 118
2010 145
2011 167
2012 173
2013 118
2014 134
2015 99

Location of incidents

In 2015, 23.2% of pipeline incidents occurred on transmission lines, followed by 21.2% at gas processing plants, 16.2% at compressor stations, 14.1% at pump stations, 11.1% at terminals, and 8.1% at meter stations. The remaining incidents occurred on gathering lines, or at other facilities (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Percentage of incidents by facility type, 2015
The figure is a pie chart that shows the breakdown of Incidents by facility type for 2015.
Figure 4 data table
Number of pipeline incidents by facility type, 2015
Facility type Number Precentage (%)
Transmission line  23 23.2
Pump station  14 14.1
Gas processing plant 21 21.2
Compressor station  16 16.2
Terminal  11 11.1
Meter station  8 8.1
Other  6 6.1

Release of product

In 2015, 30% of the incidents involved no release of product and 23% of the incidents  involved a release of less than 1 cubic metre of natural gas, oil, other petroleum product, or non-petroleum product (e.g., sulphur). Three incidents involved a release of 1.5 to 25 cubic metres (between 9.44 and 157 bbl) of crude oil. Thirteen incidents involved a release of 26 to 1000 cubic metres of natural gas, and 4 incidents involved a release of over 1000 cubic metres of natural gas. Three incidents involved a release of 1 to 25 cubic metres of sour gas, and 5 involved a release of 26 to 1000 cubic metres of sour gas (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Percentage of natural gas release incidents by release quantity, 2015
The figure is a pie chart that shows the breakdown of Incidents by facility type for 2015.
Figure 5 data table
Percentage of natural gas release incidents by release quantity, 2015
Released quantity Number Percentage
< 1 m³ 11 37
1 to 25 m³ 13 43
26 to 1000 m³ 2 7
> 1000 m³ 4 13

For reportable occurrences, natural gas releases of less than 1 cubic metre decreased to 11 in 2015 (16% of all product releases) from 29 in 2014 (28% of all product releases).

Crude oil releases of 1.5 cubic metres or more (9.44 barrels or more) decreased from 7 in 2014 to 3 in 2015.

Definitions

Pipeline accidents and incidents before 1 July 2014

Prior to July 2014 (previous TSB Regulations), pipeline accidents and incidents are defined as follow:

Pipeline accidents

“Reportable commodity pipeline accident” means an accident resulting directly from the operation of a commodity pipeline, where

Pipeline incidents

“Reportable commodity pipeline incident” means an incident resulting directly from the operation of a commodity pipeline, where

Pipeline occurrences after 1 July 2014

On 1 July 2014, the new reporting provisions of the TSB Regulations came into effect. According to section 4(1) of the TSB Regulations, the operator of a pipeline must report the following pipeline occurrences to the Board if they result directly from the operation of the pipeline:

Pipeline accidents after 1 July 2014

For 2014 statistical reporting, pipeline accidents as of 1 July 2014 consist of reportable pipeline occurrences that resulted in

Pipeline incidents after 1 July 2014

For 2014 statistical reporting, pipeline incidents as of 1 July 2014 consist of all reportable pipeline occurrences other than pipeline accidents.