The National Energy Board (NEB) has decided to make more information about the safety of its regulated pipelines accessible to the public. It will be the first energy regulator in North America to do so.
The NEB will be posting its inspections reports on the NEB website. The inspection reports will be posted within six weeks of an inspection and include detailed findings, outcomes, and any enforcement actions taken.
The release of these reports may provide the public with an opportunity to assess environmental compliance and safety of pipelines operating in their communities.
The purpose of the NEB is to enforce regulatory requirements where a pipeline is not in compliance, to deter future non-compliance, and to prevent harm. The NEB publishes a table of “Compliance and Enforcement Documents” on its website that includes NEB inspection Reports, NEB audits of company operations, inspection officer orders, incident investigation reports, information related to Administrative Monetary Penalties, Board Orders, Board letters or directives, corrective action plan, and relevant documents including correspondence.
The NEB currently oversees 2,117 energy facilities and 73,000 kilometres of pipelines throughout Canada which are used to transport 1.27 Billion barrels of petroleum products annually.
Earlier we blogged about the NEB seeking comments on its proposed approach to pipeline damage prevention. We applaud the effort the NEB is making towards better public engagement and transparency on the issue of pipeline safety.