Evaluation of Emergency Response Protocols for Crude Oil Transportation: Pipeline vs Rail

Date
2015-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This capstone project reviews and evaluates the emergency response protocols for crude oil transportation via pipeline and rail. The growth of the Canada’s oil sands and the use of hydraulic fracturing are providing access to what were previously thought to be uneconomic oil and gas deposits. This coupled with our growing use of crude oil is changing the energy landscape in North America. To accommodate this changing environment, increased transportation of crude oil is necessary. The increase in energy production and transport has had a parallel increase in public awareness of energy and dangerous goods transport. Canadian transportation systems operate within a highly regulated environment. However, no activity is without risk, crude oil spills occur and sometimes, major disasters have happened. To minimize the damages caused by accidental spills, we must employ emergency response protocols. This paper describes and compares the emergency response protocols of both pipeline and rail transport of crude oil. We review two large incidents for both modes of transportation of crude oil to determine if the emergency response protocols established forth by the governing bodies were adequate. Based on the comparison of the two protocols, we recommend enhancements for the two protocols and suggest further areas of research to advance current regulatory and emergency response frameworks.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Bhura, Alisha. (2015). Evaluation of Emergency Response Protocols for Crude Oil Transportation: Pipeline vs Rail ( Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.