Enbridge’s Line 3 crude pipeline replacement project moved closer to approval for new permits in Minnesota. However, its Line 5 pipeline faces opposition from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer who pledge to shut the system as soon as May. Both lines ship crude oil and propane from Western Canada to the US Midwest and are part of Enbridge’s larger Mainline.
The Canadian pipeline operator is optimistic to begin the construction of the 370,000pd Line 3 in 2021. The $6.75 billion replacement project will expand the system’s capacity to 760,000 bpd. The pipeline runs over 1,000 miles, transporting Canadian oil from Alberta to Wisconsin in the US. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources granted permits for the project last week. Enbridge still needs a final permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Meanwhile, the 540,000 bpd Line 5 is facing hurdles after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer pledged to shut the pipeline in as soon as six months. Line 5 was partially closed for much of this summer due to damage in the pipeline’s anchor support. Enbridge is also under greater scrutiny in the state after an oil spill from the company’s separate pipeline in 2010. According to Whitmer, Line 5 poses an unacceptable risk of a catastrophic oil leak that could pollute the Great Lakes, a crucial freshwater source in the state.
