Dear sir,
Pat Daniels the devil personified?
He is at it again. Expounding the safety of the Northern Gateway Project in the media.
No danger of earthquakes! Yet approximately three weeks ago there was a slide across highway 16, and about two years ago two people were killed in their truck caught in a massive slide which closed the highway for about 10 days.
There was a fair size quake recently near Mount St. Helen. Haida Gwaii has small quakes pretty well every day. Geologists other than the ones paid by Enbridge have been saying that our coast is overdue for a massive one.
We live on the ring of fire.
As to pipe safety, large size DilBit (diluted bitumen) dedicated pipelines are relatively new, but Trans Canada’s Keystone I pipeline, which began operation in June 2010 had nine spills in its first 10 months of operation.
In total there were 468 spills per 15,000 km of pipeline in Alberta between 2002 and 2010.
As to updated technology for pipes, even if there are minor improvements, these are far outweighed by the properties of DilBit over conventional oil.
DilBit contains up to 4.5 per cent of sulphur, large amounts of quartz, alabite and pyrite, minerals with a Moh’s hardness rating of between six and seven, hardness greater than carbon steel.
Then factor in pumping of the oil. The viscosity factor (resistance to flow) is 4.92 for West Texas Crude, 11.0 for Alaska North Slope Crude and 177.48 for Cold Lake Diluted Bitumen.
Massive amounts of power and very high pressures are needed to push the stuff over two continental mountain ranges.
This is most likely why our provincial government pushes for the Site C hydro dam, flooding most beautiful and productive farmland and wildlife habitat.
It has been calculated by someone that between 25 and 28 per cent of that power is required to pump the DilBit.
Back to the properties of DilBit once more, while all oil spills pose an elevated risk to the environment and public safety, this stuff is far worse.
It can form an ignitable and explosive mixture in air at temperatures above minus 15 degree C.
It also produces hydrogen sulfide gas which can cause suffocation in concentration over 100 parts per million.
It also contains benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and hexane toxins that can affect the human central nervous system.
In a spill the proposed booms will not work. In any current above 1 knot (1.6 km/hr) the stuff can go over and/or under the booms. But far worse, the dilutent will separate and the bitumen (heavier than water) will sink to the bottom, mix with and penetrate the river gravel.
So why would anyone want to elect a candidate, party and government which supports this project and thereby massive destruction!
There is a lot of information about all of this, you just have to be willing to look and learn.
We know Pat Daniels displays unadulterated greed. Greed beyond belief; no integrity, no social conscience.
Then there are smaller players who can make a few bucks and think of moving to greener pastures once disaster strikes.
Then there are the ones who want and do believe what powerful people and governments tell them.
Thinking and learning is hard work. History does apparently not change things.
One more word to the halibut defense group: I fully support you in the fight against another give-a-way of a people’s natural resource.
But consider that the moment disaster strikes - not if but when - you can write off fishing for halibut, salmon, crabs, snappers, sea going trout etc.
So why would anyone want to elect a candidate, party and government which supports this project and thereby massive destruction?
Dieter H. Wagner,
Kitimat.