Rainbow Pipeline Incident: Photo / Media Updates

Photos and Media

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Aerial view of remediated footprint, looking North.	Aerial view of remediated footprint, looking northeast.
Aerial view of remediated footprint and pipeline right of way.	Aerial view of southwest pond area, looking east.

Aerial view of remediated footprint, looking North.

Aerial view of the remediated footprint looking East.

Aerial view of remediated footprint, looking West.

Aerial of the pond areas.

Aerial view of remediated footprint, looking West.	Rig mats are stacked for removal from site.
Final loads of soil being removed from site.	Access roads no longer required for clean-up operations are being disassembled to allow for the soil to be reclaimed.

Aerial view of pipeline right of way, looking North.	100% remediated ponds and reclaimed ponds, where small shrubs have begun to regrow.
Tarps are used to cover soil stockpiles at the site to keep the soil dry.	100% reclaimed former perimeter rig mat access road.

Preparing soil to be transported from the MP188 site.	Drivers undergo a safety review checklist with an on-site representative.
All loads are lined with an appropriate poly liner, covered with a tarp and have an odour suppressant applied.	Industry-standard and licensed Thermal Desorption Unit used to treat soil on-site.

Impacted soil has been removed from the central pond area.	The easternmost pond was dewatered and small backhoes were used to remove residual oil from the pond shorelines and islands.
Heavy machinery readies soil stockpiles for transport to an approved waste facility.	Wildlife deterrents remain in place throughout the remediated pond areas.
Soil clean up adjacent to the right-of-way nears completion, and the soil hauling road is maintained to allow soil transport and all-weather access.	Aerial view looking from the northeast, showing the remediation work on the ponds, and the right of way.

Work continues on the easternmost pond to remove oil-stained vegetation and remaining pockets of oil contamination.	Access road installed using rubber rig mats to improve traction and access in inclement weather conditions.
Release site air monitoring continues, with air monitoring units stationed downwind of clean-up operations. All levels remain well within acceptable industry standards.	Crews continue flushing and cleaning the beaver dam and beaver runs in the central pond area. Processed peat moss, which acts as an oil absorbent, is being applied to the banks of the beaver runs to help remove residual oil.
Surveyors work on site.	Soil stockpiles along the rubber rig mat access road.

(photos from June 14)

Work on the ponds continues to move westward. The eastern-most pond has the majority of oil removed. Work continues on cutting, raking, and flushing the shoreline in the central pond area.	Workers continue to focus their oil recovery efforts on the pond area, removing oily woody debris and vegetation, as well as using large fans to move surface oil to skimmers.
Workers flush the shoreline and beaver runs with pond water to aid oil recovery.	Gator vacuum trucks are removing collected oil from containment trenches along the right-of-way and around the soil stockpiles.
Timber rig mats on the north end of the clean-up site are being moved to allow the road to be re-built to accommodate heavy equipment.	In addition to the mechanical skimmers operating in the pond area, workers are manually removing oil from areas near the booms using long-handled pan skimmers.
Drill rig used to advance boreholes in which groundwater wells are installed.	Groundwater monitoring wells have been installed for long-term groundwater monitoring at the site.

There's been significant progress in removing surface oil from the ponds, so fewer skimmers are required for the remaining area.	Workers continue to wash the pond's shoreline and flush dormant beaver runs with fresh water in order to facilitate oil recovery.
Workers continue to wash the pond's shoreline with fresh water and cut and rake dried seasonal vegetation in order to facilitate oil recovery.	Rig mats and collection/containment trenches have been installed down the right of way to create access for oil recovery operations.
On June 3, snowy conditions presented challenges for workers at the clean-up site.	Environment staff sample water conditions as part of the on-site environmental monitoring

Workers continue oil recovery efforts on the pond area, using a boat and chest waders to remove oily woody debris to allow for repositioning booms to corral oil to skimmers for recovery.	Rig mats and collection/containment trenches have been installed down the right of way to create access for oil recovery operations.
The location of the pipeline has been marked and contaminated soil removed from along the right of way. (The markings along the right of way are hydrovac holes to locate the depth of the line to ensure removal of contaminated soils can be accomplished safely.	Following tree removal, the layer of impacted soil is stripped and stockpiled. The felled trees will be used in future reclamation efforts, once remediation of the impacted soil has been completed.
Workers use vacuum trucks to collect oil from the collection/containment trenches excavated around the stockpiles of impacted soil.	Oil removed from the site is transported to oil cleaning and treatment facilities for safe handling.

(photos from May 15)

Pipeline right of way: Mile Post 188	Ongoing oil recovery work
Oil recovery from secondary containment	Site safety remains a sharp focus
Debris collection in the pond area	Vacuum trucks assist in oil recovery

Workers install wildlife deterrents (Copyright Chris Schwarz/Edmonton Journal)	Skimmer placement for oil recovery (Copyright Chris Schwarz/Edmonton Journal)
Vacuum truck recovering product (Copyright Chris Schwarz/Edmonton Journal)	Air-monitoring equipment on site (Copyright Chris Schwarz/Edmonton Journal)