WMB - Enbridge Faces DOJ Pressure for Pipeline Crack Repairs | Benzinga
Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) is once again under scrutiny as the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") has proposed amendments to a 2016 consent decree. This change could mandate Enbridge to address previously identified cracks in its extensive Lakehead pipeline system, including the controversial Line 5.
The backdrop to this development dates back to 2010 when two significant oil spills from ENB's pipelines near Marshall, MI, and Romeoville, IL, resulted in severe environmental damage. These spills led to the unlawful discharge of oil into U.S. waters, triggering a lawsuit by the United States under the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act. The legal action sought civil penalties, recovery of cleanup costs and injunctive relief to prevent future incidents.
In 2017, a Consent Decree approved by the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan established stringent requirements for Enbridge's network of 14 pipelines, collectively known as the Lakehead System. This decree included specific criteria for selecting and repairing pipeline sections, imposing interim pressure restrictions, and monitoring for features such as cracks detected through In-Line Inspections.
The latest proposed modifications specifically target how Enbridge handles circumferential cracks that encircle the pipeline rather than running lengthwise. These changes would require Enbridge to reassess such cracks using new methodologies tailored to the unique threats posed by circumferential cracks. This reassessment would consider all potential stresses that could ...