Manitoba premier says trucks and trains can replace fuel flow from disrupted pipeline

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government and Winnipeg City Hall expressed optimism Monday that there won’t be fuel shortages, despite the temporary closure of a pipeline that carries gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to the capital city and the surrounding area.

Plans are in place to temporarily use trucks and train cars as alternative forms of delivery, and Premier Wab Kinew said they should be able to carry the same amount as the Imperial Oil pipeline that is undergoing repairs.

“The goal is to bring in the same … quantity, about 12,000 barrels of gasoline per day when we’re talking about the Imperial terminal in particular, to be able to ensure that there is a continuous supply,” Kinew said. 

Kinew also said he has talked with the North Dakota government about pitching in with backup supplies if needed, and there is a week or more of supply already in the city at bulk storage facilities.

Imperial Oil announced on the weekend it is shutting down, for an estimated three months, a pipeline that brings fuel to the Winnipeg area from Gretna, Man.

The company said it found “integrity concerns” in a section of pipe, although there were no spills, and work needs to be done to replace a section under the Red River.

The chief administrative officer of Winnipeg, Michael Jack, wrote to council members Sunday that fuel supply could be compromised during the closure.

But after speaking with company officials Monday, Jack said the city received encouraging news.

“In much more detail, they were able to give us a sense of all the work that is going on there, and the involvement of other agencies, other companies, just to try and ensure that the Winnipeg market continues to be served properly,” Jack said.

The city may look for ways to reduce fuel consumption, but it’s too early to say anything definitively, Jack added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2024.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press