Cold Lake Pipeline System

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Cold Lake Pipeline is an oil pipeline in Alberta, Canada.

Location

The pipeline originates in Cold Lake, Alberta and terminates in Hardisty and Edmonton. More specifically, the Cold Lake Pipeline System mostly consists of two major section: the west leg running about 240 kilometres (145 miles) from Cold Lake to Edmonton and the south leg running about 415 kilometres (260 miles) from Cold Lake to Hardisty.

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Project Details

• Operator: Inter Pipeline (100%)
• Current capacity: 590,000 barrels per day
• Length: 869.92 mi / 1,400 km
• Status: Operating
• Start year:

Background

In December 2016, Canadian Natural Resources sold its 15% stake in the Cold Lake pipeline system to Inter Pipeline Ltd. for $527.5 million, making Inter Pipeline the sole owner of the pipeline system.

Spills

Inter Pipeline cleaning up an oil leak near its Strathcona Terminal. Photo courtesy of The Canadian Press, http://bit.ly/2fLvlVs.

Inter Pipeline cleaning up an oil leak at its Strathcona Terminal. Photo courtesy of The Canadian Press, http://bit.ly/2fLvlVs.

On 21 April 2017, a leak in the Cold Lake pipeline system resulted in crude oil spilling into a creek near 17th Street and Baseline Road east of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Inter Pipeline Ltd. said that it had contained the leak. Approximately 141,000 liters of bitumen blend was released into the unnamed creek, which feeds into the North Saskatchewan River.