B.C. natural gas leak caused by crews hitting misidentified pipeline: TSB report
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GATINEAU — A federal investigation has found the puncture of a natural gas pipeline in northeastern B.C. last November was caused by inaccurate identification of the pipeline’s location.
The Transportation Safety Board says in its investigation report that the accident happened along a stretch of pipeline operated by Westcoast Energy Ltd. about 150 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John.
The report says crews were installing a new pipe that was to cross underneath two existing pipelines, and the puncture happened as the crew created an observation hole needed to track the path of the boring operation.
The investigation shows that a pipe was inserted vertically into the hole to shore up unstable soil conditions and push through an obstruction, then the crew noticed a smell of gas and workers were evacuated from the area.
