Indigenous Environmental Network
Enbridge Energy Line 13 Southern Lights Diluent Line
Illegal Pipelines on Red Lake Land
Expansion Fact Sheet
Enbridge is proposing to increase the Southern Lights Diluent Line(50,000 bpd to 275,000 bpd) that flows from Chicago, Ill to Hardisty, Alberta is a 20 inch pipeline that was completed in 2009, and started operations in 2010. Heavy crude oil/bitumen are fluids with high viscosity, especially at low temperatures. The addition of a Diluent enables the diluted fluid (dil-bit in the case of bitumen) to meet pipeline specifications in order for it to be efficiently transported. Diluent is considered a trade secret, but is known to have several cancer causing agents in its chemical make up such as Benzene and Napezene. Dil-Bit is a blend of 60% Bitumen and 40% Diluent. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD This Fact Sheet in PDF.
Enbridge is Trespassing on Red Lake Lands!!!
Enbridge (formerly Lakehead) Pipelines have been illegally on 8.5 acres of Red Lake Ceded Lands near Leonard, MN since 1949, when the first pipeline was constructed. There have been 3 more pipelines (2,3 and 4) were constructed without an easement on the land. The Red Lake Tribal Council has told Enbridge that they are to shut down the pipelines and remove them from the lands. Enbridge would still be required to compensate the Tribe for the lines being on the land. Currently 1.5 million barrels of oil flow through these 4 pipelines per day.
On February 28, 2013 a group of Red Lake member with support from other groups began an encampment on the land. The group are demanding that the oil cease to flow and the pipelines be removed from the land . Enbridge has stated that the pipelines are not to have a permanent structure such as a fence, shed, a building on the pipelines, yet there is currently a fence and a 14×70 trailer house on the lands and the oil continues to flow.
Enbridge Energy Pipelines of Destruction
According to Enbridge company data, Enbridge pipelines have spilled 804 times since 1999 and leaked 6.8 million gallons of oil. In Minnesota, there were 57 Enbridge spills from 2000 to 2009 with $36 million in property damage. Here are a partial list of spills:
- Six pipelines run through Leech Lake and Fond-du-Lac Reservations, including lines 67 and 13. There have been 5 reported spills within the Leech Lake Reservation in the past 10 years.
- July 2002: Cohasset, MN ruptured and released 250,000 gallons of crude oil
- January 2003: About 189,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the Nemadji River from the Enbridge Energy Terminal in Superior, Wisconsin
- November 2007: Two workers were killed in an pipeline explosion near Clearbrook, MN.
- April 2010: At Deer River, MN, 250 gallons of crude oil leaked into a wetland area
- April 2013: 600 gallons of oil was spilled at the Viking, MN pumping station.