Enbridge Energy – Alberta Clipper Project

The objective of this project was to bring heavy crude oil from the Athabasca tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to the Enbridge Terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. Lakehead’s portion of the Alberta Clipper Project gives Enbridge the flexibility to bring this heavier tar sands crude oil from its mainline piping into the Superior Terminal. More than 5 miles of 36-inch-diameter field-welded steel piping was installed inside of the terminal. In some locations, five pipes were run parallel to each other in the same trench – one for each of the five new tanks constructed in conjunction with this project.

The construction of a new pipeline in the Superior Terminal presented Lakehead with many challenges. Given the facility’s age and numerous prior expansions, we had to constantly be vigilant of what light lie beneath the ground surface. Lakehead’s crews were very successful in protecting the existing below-grade infrastructure throughout the duration of the project. The project’s safety record is a testament to a culture that prioritizes safety; more than 140,000 manhours were worked by Lakehead and its project partners without a lost-time accident.