The oil industry’s self-inflicted wounds

The oil industry’s self-inflicted wounds by The Globe and Mail, by July 11 2012
A scathing ruling Tuesday by a U.S. regulator pummels Enbridge Inc.’s response to the massive spill of oil into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River in 2010, describing it as being so poor that, “you can’t help but think of the Keystone Kops.” … “For more than 17 hours and over three shifts, the people controlling the pipeline did not respond to the alarms, pressure differentials or even follow one of their own safety procedures,” Ms. Hersman said in remarks posted on the agency’s website. Instead of halting the flow, Enbridge workers actually twice pumped more oil into the ruptured pipeline – and into the Kalamazoo River. It is not the sort of ruling that is likely to build public confidence in pipelines, especially coming after three spills this spring in Alberta….