Public Notice

Key Findings & Actions from the Shelley Incident

Please find the summarized findings of the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) investigation regarding the Shelley Natural Gas Pipeline incident that occurred on October 9, 2018, near Prince George; and the actions taken by Westcoast to prevent future occurrences.

Key Investigation Findings:

The pipeline incident was the result of a malfunction with the protective coating used to protect the pipeline from moisture and corrosion, resulting in stress corrosion cracking. This problem has since been fixed and the entire natural gas pipeline system has been inspected with the latest generation of inline inspection tools to prevent this type of situation from occurring again. Further steps have also been taken which are explained in more detail below.

Westcoast Actions Taken:

Since the incident, Westcoast has implemented a comprehensive pipeline integrity program—the most aggressive of its kind ever undertaken on the pipeline system in British Columbia. This program includes:

• Enhanced Pipeline Inspections: Westcoast has inspected the entire T-South natural gas pipeline system using the latest-generation inline inspection tool, which offers significantly improved accuracy in detecting potential issues such as stress corrosion cracking.

• Improved Maintenance Screening Criteria: The screening process has been enhanced to identify potential pipeline risks earlier, allowing Westcoast to address any potential concerns with proactive maintenance work sooner.

• Increased Integrity Digs: To validate the pipeline’s safety, Westcoast more than doubled the number of integrity digs—excavating and inspecting select pipeline sections to confirm their safety and reliability.

Additionally, Westcoast’s approach to pipeline safety now incorporates more frequent inspections, enhanced maintenance protocols, and structural changes within our organization to improve pipeline safety and ensure safety remains a top priority.

At Westcoast, no incident is ever acceptable. They are committed to continuous improvement, learning from incidents, and taking the necessary steps to maintain the highest safety standards for our pipeline system.