#PremierPipeline’s Slick Advice in Wake of Husky Oil Spill: Don’t Turn to Trains

Yah, who cares about contaminated water supplies for Sask citizens, as long as the oil industry is okay. https://t.co/RPoe5incfR #skpoli

— Larry Hubich (@LHubich) July 23, 2016

https://twitter.com/saskboy/status/756915255184195584

But one of the big issues for Brad Wall, a major proponent for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, was the Husky Energy oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River at Maidstone Thursday morning.
Wall says he hopes this spill does not make it harder to sell new energy infrastructure. He points out that if it isn’t moved by pipeline it will be moved by rail and he says rail is more susceptible to spills, combined with the greenhouse gas emissions given off by the trains themselves.

Wall says the first priority in regards to the Husky Energy spill is to get it cleaned up but pointed out that while pipelines remain imperfect in terms of a conveyance for oil, they’re still the safest way to move oil and it is 4.5 times more likely to have an oil spill on a rail car than a pipeline.

So, how about those train emissions, eh? Building a pipeline is done with fairy dust and unicorn labour, I guess?

ADDED: I hope this disaster doesn’t lead to a bigger disaster that takes the form of harming the sale of my most cherished oil distribution technologies I campaigned on expanding.

Husky Energy oil spill threatens drinking water in Saskatchewan https://t.co/oL2XyMW5rg

— Lori Johb (@ljohb) July 25, 2016

Now, about those pipeline emissions…

Husky Energy says between 200,000 and 250,000 litres of crude oil and other material leaked into the North Saskatchewan River Thursday morning near Maidstone. Efforts are being made by Husky to contain the spill through the use of booms across the river

The boom has gone bust. #SaskaBoom

In a telephone conference with reporters, officials from the province of Saskatchewan said they had built five booms to contain the spill and were working with Husky and the federal government on a cleanup plan.

The oil plume had passed the village of Maymont, more than 100 km (62 miles) downstream from where the spill started, said Wes Kotyk, executive director of environment protection with the province.

““We’re asking our residents to conserve water by not watering their lawns,” Ms. Abe said.”

October is coming with freezing nights.

Ferris said the city of Prince Albert, farther along the river, was building a temporary pipeline (hose) of up to 30 km (19 miles) to draw water from another river.

“It won’t work in winter in Saskatchewan, I can guarantee you that,” he said.

UPDATE:

Just now: City of Prince Albert is officially in water conservation mode after oil plume reaches city. @CBCAlerts pic.twitter.com/jQVT1W7IEr

— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) July 25, 2016