Enbridge report on Straits of Mackinac pipelines angers Michigan

Sixteen sections of underwater oil and gas pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac were found unsupported on the Great Lakes bottom during 2003 inspections — spans of 140 feet or longer, well beyond state requirements for mooring the pipe. Keith Matheny/Detroit Free Press (Photo: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality)

Areas of missing protective coating on aging, underwater oil pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac are larger than state officials were initially led to believe — more than a foot-and-a-half in diameter in spots. The discovery of larger gaps is prompting a new round of questions about a Canadian oil transport giant’s oversight of the pipes, and its transparency with state officials about problems with them.

Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy late last month described the areas of exposed bare metal on the underwater pipes as "Band-Aid sized." But inspection reports Enbridge shared with the state earlier this month, in response to requests for more information about the lost coating, show eight areas on the twin lines where bare metal is exposed to the elements. All but one measures 7 inches or more in diameter. "The state feels this new information calls into question Enbridge’s stewardship of Line 5 and raises […]

Full article: Enbridge report on Straits of Mackinac pipelines angers state