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Petroleum industry

Enbridge Pipeline Shutdown: Major Oil Imports to Midwest at a Standstill

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A critical oil pipeline, carrying over 670,000 barrels a day of crude oil from Canada to refineries in the US Midwest, has been shut down and isolated after a leak was discovered. The pipeline, operated by Enbridge Energy Partners LP, is part of the company's Lakehead system and is the second major pipeline rupture in the US in the past three months. The leak, which occurred at noon local time, has not affected the DuPage River, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Enbridge pipeline, part of the Lakehead system, carries 670,000 barrels a day of oil from Canada to refineries in the US Midwest.
  • The pipeline is capable of carrying more than one-third of crude oil imports to the US Midwest.
  • The shutdown is the second major pipeline rupture in the US in the past three months, following the shutdown of Enbridge's Line 6B in Michigan on July 26.
  • The pipeline carries oil to refineries in Chicago, including Citgo's Lemont refinery, BP Plc's Whiting, Ind., plant, ConocoPhillips' Wood River, Ill., plant, and Exxon Mobil Corp's Joliet, Ill., refinery.
  • The four refineries affected can process about 1.22 million barrels a day, nearly 7% of overall US capacity.
  • Enbridge had previously replaced a segment of the pipeline after a rupture in late July led to an estimated 19,500 barrels of oil pouring into the Talmadge Creek and entering the Kalamazoo River.

Statistics:

  • 670,000 barrels a day: Capacity of the Enbridge pipeline
  • 1.22 million barrels a day: Daily processing capacity of affected refineries
  • 7%: Percentage of overall US oil refining capacity impacted by closure
  • 19,500 barrels: Estimated volume of oil released from the pipeline rupture in July
  • 290,000 barrels a day: Capacity of Enbridge's Line 6B
  • 245,000 barrels a day: Planned reduced operating rate of Line 6B after regulators approve restart

Sources:

  • Bloomberg News
  • Enbridge Energy Partners LP website
  • U.S. Energy Department
  • Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • 2010 Toronto Star
  • Lewis Adam, President, ADMO Energy LLC
  • Glenn Herchak, Enbridge Spokesman
  • Steve Gulden, Romeoville Official
  • Maggie Carson, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Spokeswoman
  • Patrick Daniel, Enbridge President

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