President Obama will decide soon whether to give his blessing to construction of the Keystone Pipeline, to carry heavy crude oil extracted from tar sands in Canada. The oil eventually will find its way to refineries along the Gulf Coast.
The pipeline’s projected route is through the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas, ending at the huge storage depot at Cushing, Okla.
Environmentalists and landowners have railed about the pipeline’s construction, claiming fears of pollution from leaks that may occur and raising the flag of private property rights. Environmental activists also point to increased production of greenhouse gases as the heavy crude is converted to gasoline and other petroleum products. Fact is, oil will continue to be extracted from tar sand and refined, with or without Keystone.
Meanwhile, the Flanagan South Pipeline is being constructed over 600 miles — including through Allen County — to tie a collection point at Flanagan, Ill., to storage at Cushing. Some of the oil Enbridge’s Flanagan line will transport also will come from Canadian tar sand, along with production in Montana and the Dakotas.
Enbridge’s project seems in large measure to have escaped notice of protesters, although the parent company has seen fit to hire and dispatch security personnel to watch over storage and active construction areas.
Could the Flanagan line leak?
Of course it could. Nothing is absolutely fail-safe.
But, from what Enbridge has made public about the project, the likelihood of an accident of consequence seems remote.
Each weld between the 30-foot joints is carefully scrutinized. The pipe is 36 inches in diameter with walls half to three-quarters of an inch thick.
A weakness as small as a dime can be detected and pinpointed to its precise location so repairs may be made.
ENBRIDGE’S massive investment in the project ensures its due diligence, with the transport of 600,000 barrels a day that fetches $60 million at today’s rates.
Enbridge will have spent $3.2 billion by the time the pipeline goes into operation, and as a for-profit company it means to recoup its investment and move to the positive side of the ledger in short order.
As for Allen County, the pipeline will add significantly to local property tax valuations, helping to boost local school districts, Allen Community College and county coffers.
— Bob Johnson
