Keystone XL — Safety

Zero is Real

Why is safety our #1 value?

Our goal is for our pipeline and energy facilities to operate safely every day so that the public, our workforce and the environment aren’t affected by an incident involving our assets. We believe that zero incidents is an achievable goal. Every day, our teams across North America work tirelessly to proactively maintain our pipelines, adopting innovative solutions in energy transportation and incorporating past learnings to push us closer to our ‘zero is real’ goal.

Safety is, and always will be, our number one value. Safety is part of our culture and we are proud of our industry-leading safety record.

Pipeline safety

Learn more about our investments in pipeline safety, such as our Pipeline Integrity Program, as well as the many measures and steps we take to ensure our pipelines are built and operated safely with round-the-clock monitoring and proactive pipeline inspections, ensuring our pipes remain safe.

We have implemented a Pipe Integrity Enhancement Program to ensure the safety and reliability of the Keystone Pipeline System. This program includes a review of the full integrity program by a panel of independent industry experts. As learnings and recommendations are being captured from the program review, these are being actively implemented into the Pipe Integrity Enhancement Program activities for both Keystone and Keystone XL The program plans have been shared with both PHMSA and the CER.

Ensuring the safety of our crews and community members during COVID-19

Safety is our number one value! With the current and evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) conditions, we will continue to take guidance from all levels of government and health authorities to determine the most proactive and responsible actions in order to ensure our workforce and the surrounding communities are safe during Keystone XL’s pre-construction and construction activities.

We have sought the expertise and experience of International SOS, Corporate Medical Advisors, a member of the International SOS Group of companies, and their partner Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services, to provide medical advisory and consultation services.

Response activities

Our local field staff handles direct response activities, such as isolation of the emergency, containment and control, coordination of response activities and restoration of service. We also work with local communities through regular emergency drills and exercises, which allows us to build relationships with local first responders and community officials, informing each other of emergency response strategies and gaining an understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities.

FAQs - Pipeline Integrity

How have you ensured the integrity of the pipe that was purchased several years ago and that has been stored?

Certified third-party inspectors oversaw an extensive multi-step review and inspection program of every single piece of pipe purchased and stored since 2011 and 2012 and that will be used during pipeline construction in 2021. Pipe that did not meet the criteria was either rejected or remediated.

This program was reviewed by the Pipeline Hazardous and Materials Safety Administration and was subject to periodic review.

How did you go about protecting the epoxy coating from sun damage on pipe that was stored?

We covered pipe in a whitewash to protect the coating from sunlight during storage. Every single piece of pipe that was stored underwent a multiple-point inspection process, including testing of the coating to make sure it was acceptable. Pipe or coating that did not meet the criteria was rejected or remediated.

Can you tell us a little bit about the type of testing that was done on the stored pipe and the corrosion-resistant epoxy?

Each pipe is coated with a corrosion-resistant epoxy (FBE). The testing that was done on the coating included tests on its thickness, flexibility and adhesion testing. In addition, as part of this inspection, we used a devise known as a “holiday detector” to search for any pin holes in the coating. Any issues that were detected were repaired and the area was re-inspected. If we found any cause for concern, the pipe was either rejected, repaired or stripped and recoated. Finally, we will rerun the tests in the field, during construction, to ensure that the pipe that we put into the ground meets the highest safety standards.