Husky Energy report does not identify cause of July 20 pipeline spill, extension granted by Alex MacPherson, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, October 21, 2016, Calgary Herald
The provincial government has given Husky Energy Inc. an additional 30 days to explain what caused one of its pipelines to fail east of Maidstone on July 20, spilling approximately 225,000 litres of heavy crude near and into the North Saskatchewan River.
Under provincial law, the Calgary-based energy company is required to file a detailed incident report within 90 days of its initial report, which was submitted on July 26. A Husky spokesman said last week it expected to file the report around Oct. 21.
In the report, which was filed Friday, Husky says that 225,000 litres of oil, plus or minus 10 per cent, escaped, and that the spill covered 0.04 square kilometres. It also states that 210,000 litres of crude have been recovered.
Husky’s report does not identify what caused the spill, however. The provincial government said Friday that the company asked for and received a 30-day extension to submit technical reports, meaning it won’t be clear what caused the incident until mid-November.
Metallurgical and geotechnical reports being prepared for Husky by third-party engineering firms as well as background studies “supporting its conclusions” will be filed on or before Nov. 21, the government said.
Husky and the government have come under intense pressure since the spill, with experts and activists questioning the company’s timeline of events and cleanup operations, and the government’s pipeline regulatory framework.