Enbridge, Michigan Governor Clash Over Line 5 Oil Pipelines as Canada Weighs In, an Industrial Info Market Brief

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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is threatening to shut down Enbridge's Line 5 dual pipelines by May. The pipelines supply 540,000 barrels per day (BBL/d) of oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Michigan, Ohio, Ontario and Quebec.

Part of the 68-year-old Line 5 lies under the Straits of Mackinac, which runs between Michigan's lower and upper peninsulas and connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Whitmer said last year that Line 5 poses an "unacceptable risk of a catastrophic oil spill in the Great Lakes."

Enbridge wants to build a utility tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac to house a replacement for Line 5. Enbridge's wastewater, bottomland and wetlands permits for the utility tunnel have been approved, but do not resolve Whitmer's effort to shut down Line 5's current operations. Enbridge is challenging those efforts in federal court. Permits from the Michigan Public Service Commission and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers are still required.

Canada is looking at all its options with regard to Line 5, Canada's Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan said on Thursday, adding that Canada would invoke whatever measures are needed to keep the pipeline operating.