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National Energy Board Safety Report Gives Pipelines Top Marks

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07/08
For immediate release
30 March 2007

CALGARY - Pipelines are becoming safer says a new report issued by the National Energy Board (NEB) today.

According to the NEB's annual Focus on Safety and Environment: A Comparative Analysis of Pipeline Performance 2000-2005, for the eighth year in a row, there were no fatalities on NEB-regulated pipelines.

This report, the NEB's fifth annual safety report card, takes a look at the safety, integrity and environmental performance of the 45,000 kilometres of pipeline regulated by the National Energy Board.

For the third year in a row, there were no ruptures on NEB-regulated pipelines. A rupture, which is a loss of containment that impairs the operation of the pipeline, can cause explosions, fire and even death. Between 1991 and 2002, an average of 2.5 NEB-regulated pipelines ruptured every year. This improvement is primarily the result of integrity management programs, which have been compulsary since 1999.

"We were the first regulator in North America to direct pipeline companies to introduce integrity management programs and I believe these programs are contributing to pipeline safety, said National Energy Board Chairman Kenneth Vollman.

"In the past three years there have been no fatalities and no ruptures on NEB-regulated pipelines. We're very encouraged by these results."

Also encouraging is a drop in the injury rate for contract pipeline workers. The injury frequency for contract workers fell more than 50 per cent from just over 3 injuries per 100 full time equivalents in 2003 to 1.1 injuries per 100 full time equivalents in 2005. However, contractor injuries are still happening more frequently than workers directly employed by pipeline companies.

The NEB is an independent federal agency that regulates several parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to promote safety and security, environmental protection, and efficient energy infrastructure and markets in the Canadian public interest, within the mandate set by Parliament in the regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade.

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For further information:

Sarah Kiley
Communications Officer
National Energy Board
E- mail: sarah.kiley@neb-one.gc.ca
Telephone: 403-299-3633
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Telecopier: 403-292-5503
Telecopier (toll free): 1-877-288-8803
TTY (Teletype): 1-800-632-1663

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