Environmentalists blocked export of oil from Canada to the US



10/12/2016 3:27 PM


On Tuesday, environmental activists caused a disruption in supply of millions of barrels of oil from Canada to the US. This was a rare example of a coordinated action simultaneously aimed at several key pipelines.



The police in four US states arrested activists who chained themselves to equipment at remote pumping stations. The environmentalists blocked valves to stop delivery of crude oil on routes, which provide up to 15% of US consumption.

Protest group Climate Direct Action confirmed its solidarity with the Indians Sioux from Standing Rock reservation. They are protesting against $ 3.7 billion oil pipeline project from North Dakota to the US Gulf Coast due environmental risks of their sacred land and water sources.

Officials, pipeline companies and experts say that the protesters sharply increased risk of environmental contamination due to treat of oil spill after the pressure drop on the blocked valves.

Activists said that they have studied technical documentation to shut off pipelines without threat to the environment.

The pipelines chosen by the environmentalists deliver fuel mined on Canadian Oil Sands to America. Daily volume of supply amounts to 2.8 million barrels.

"Intervention in the energy infrastructure is a dangerous. It can cause harm to citizens and local settlements, which is unacceptable", - said Minister of Energy of Canada Jim Carr.

Pipeline company Enbridge Inc. announced that temporary halt of 4 pipelines in Minnesota, but that did not stop deliveries.

Spectra Energy reported that unauthorized persons blocked valves at its pumping stations in Montana, and stopped the pipe for a while.

Activists reported that they also blocked Keystone pipeline, owned by TransCanada and TransMountain of Kinder Morgan.

In September, 50 representatives of the peoples of North America for the first time signed a contract on joint struggle against construction of new pipelines.

The paper argues that development of oil industry in America will damage the environment, reports Reuters.

The native people are primarily discontented with construction of Dakota pipeline. According to plans of businessmen, it should be ready by the end of this year. Cost of the pipeline is 3 billion 7 million dollars, it is designed for the daily transport of up to 470 th. barrels of shale oil from the Bakken formation.

Secondly, the indigenous peoples claim that environment in Canada and the US is threatened with plans of Kinder Morgan. The company is going to triple the only pipeline which connects the heavy oil field in the province of Alberta to the west coast of Canada. The project, valued at more than $ 5 billion, involves increased pipeline capacity between Edmonton, Alberta and Burnaby, British Columbia from 300 th. barrels to 890 th. barrels a day. The final decision on it should be taken in December.

Furthermore, indigenous peoples are protesting against project of TransCanada Energy East. The company is going to transport 1.1 million barrels of heavy oil per day from Alberta to the coast of the Atlantic.

The Native American have been fighting with pipeline construction projects for years, but have not entered in such agreements before. 

source: reuters.com


More