Impacts of Energy East Pipeline Project from Alberta to Quebec
A set of pipes called “conduits” that is used for the conveyance of air, water, gas, or any liquid petroleum products is called pipeline. Piping is used for various industrial (process), marine, transportation, domestic and commercial plumbing purposes. Much of its fabrication comprised of welded, screwed carbon steel piping and pipe fittings. Transportation piping is normally had large diameter and used to convey liquids, slurries, gases over hundreds of kilometers. The pipeline project between Alberta and Quebec is termed as “Energy East Pipeline" and having length of about 4600 Kilometer. That was planned to carry more than 1 million of crude oil per day from Alberta to refineries located at Eastern Canada (“Energy East Pipeline Project.”, 2014). The construction of this pipeline project have many potential social, environmental and economic impacts, and hence, construction has been stopped.
- Environmentalists have an opinion that this pipeline can affect the environment due to high emissions of carbon that is a great threat to the atmosphere and national security. This project is a potential threat to the environment especially climate and beluga whale calving grounds are of significant importance that is being ignored by the concerned authorities including Harper government. The population of Quebec will bear almost all of the risks and threats associated with spills in the form of environmental impacts without any financial compensation.
- The oil utilization could tend to be increased that would emit many pollutants like particulates, hydrocarbons, and greenhouse gases including NOx, SOx, CO, CO2 and so forth. These pollutants are dangerous for the environment as well as health. Many diseases are associated with these pollutants including asthma, cancer, skin diseases and so forth. Increased GHGs are the potential threat to the global atmosphere apart from the ozone layer that is a natural protection layer to avoid from Infrared rays. Consequently, this destruction of the ozone layer can give rise to skin cancer. Canada is one of the nations who are facing problems associated with ozone depletion. High concentration of NOx in the atmosphere can cause eye irritation and lungs diseases. In addition, SO2 emission has tendency to increase the acid rains that can lead to skin diseases.
- Natural gas is commonly used for water and heating system. Excessive availability of oil at affordable rates will force people to shift towards oil consumption more than relying on gas. Consequently, construction of this project will increase the cost of gas as per demand and supply rule. Presently the gas price is kept constant throughout the year by the relevant authorities. Obviously, the consumers need to bear high cost of gas (Bernard, Bolduc & Hardy, 2002).
- As per reported in a recent past, TransCanada's planned “Energy East Pipeline” was opposed at different forums and media. This can be considered the largest oil pipeline that transporting crude oil from Alberta via Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes and is escalating gradually across eastern Canada.
This project is experiencing great opposition from different communities and politicians across the country. They are raising their disquiets and adopting strategies to stop the project. Civil society comprising of more than 40,000 concerned citizens filed a petition. Energy East pipeline that would pass through many territories occupied by about 155 native communities. Consequently, it will develop a serious social issue because it is their constitutional right to adopt measures to stop this project (Leahy, 2014; “Opposition Mounting to Energy.”2014).
- In the Maritimes, almost 3000 fishermen will be affected in the Bay of Fundy, and they are worried about their livelihoods that will be negatively impacted due to increased tanker traffic and occurrence of oil spills.
- It could affect clean drinking water sources including rivers, streams and so forth,
- Scientific viewpoint also has no significance to permit this project in the context of job opportunities. Renewable energy resources can create more jobs by protecting the rivers and waters from toxic tar sands oil.
- According to the observed report, Quebec will gain minimum economic benefits from this west-east oil pipeline projects. This project would transport oil and oil sands also termed as “tar sands or bitumen” from western Canada to refineries and ports located in Quebec. But it would only make a contribution of less than half percent to economic activities as well as 0.30% job opportunities in the province.
Apart from direct outcomes of this project, there are many indirect impacts of this project as mentioned (Leahy, 2014; “Opposition Mounting to Energy.”2014):
- Incident of the pipeline rupture would cost a loss of billions of dollars and pipeline will destroy all anticipated economic benefit of Quebec. A major pipeline rupture in an urban center could cost about 5-10 billion dollars to clean up that result in a huge loss in economic activities,
- Incidents like pipeline rupture and oil spills could have a great impact on the human, environment, public safety and waterways. The oil spill pose threat to human, plants and wildlife as well as area under spills is difficult to restore for its fertility. The impact caused by tar sands are difficult to eliminate and can damage plants and wildlife,
- Waterways which are considered major drinking water sources and recreational activities including rivers, streams and so forth could be badly polluted by oil spills,
- The quality of life could be deteriorated as populace can lose their homes and other recreational centers,
- There may rise insurance issues as pipeline companies in Canada do not have any liability regarding insurance for pipeline spills,
- Quebec has incredible risk exposure due to this project as this will use Quebec as a path to export huge quantities of dirty oil generated from the tar sands. Moreover, Quebec’s community has a target to reduce greenhouse gases by the year 2020 that will be in danger due to this pipeline project. In addition, the greenhouse emissions from refining crude oil have the potential to increase incremental impact on overall GHGs in Canada.
In short, the construction of this pipeline has many direct and indirect impacts. Suspension of this construction also stops potential disastrous climate change that this pipeline would impose. Apart from health, financial, and environmental concerns, the social opposition is growing day by day. It is recommended that the Quebec government should conduct an environmental assessment before permitting this particular project. Conclusively “Energy East Pipeline Project” is not worth to proceed further to avoid degradation socially, environmentally, scientifically, health viewpoint and financially. Hence, it is not allowed for the construction.
References
Bernard, J., Bolduc, D. & Hardy, A.(2002). The costs of natural gas distribution pipelines: the case of SCGM, Quebec', Energy Economics, 24,425-438.
Leahy, D (June 19, 2014). Energy East, Line 9 Pipelines Will Have “Insignificant” Economic Impact on Quebec, Desmog Canada, Retrieved October 7, 2014 fromhttp://www.desmog.ca/2014/06/19/energy-east-line-9-pipelines-will-have-insignificant-economic-impact-quebec-says-report.
Sisu Institute (May 20, 2014) Opposition Mounting to Energy East Export Pipeline Even Before TransCanada Files Official Application, Retrieved October 7, 2014 fromhttp://www.marketwired.com/press-release/opposition-mounting-energy-east-export-pipeline-even-before-transcanada-files-official-1911859.htm
TransCanada (Feb. 28, 2014).Energy East Pipeline Project: A pipeline from West to East, Retrieved October 7, 2014 from: http http://www.transcanada.com/energy-east-pipeline.html
