The Texas-based Kinder Morgan is best known in Canada for its controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion proposal out west — but the company is working on a friendlier-named project in the Detroit River.
Its Utopia Pipeline is due for maintenance and the company is proposing a $6.5-million replacement project that would hire an estimated 20 union construction jobs.
"We think it's an important part of continuing to develop domestic energy transportation systems," says Allen Fore, vice president of public affairs for Kinder Morgan.
An open house at MacKenzie Hall for Kinder Morgan's proposed replacement of the Utopia Pipeline running under the Detroit River draws a small anti-pipeline protest on August 28, 2018. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
The current line is a 10-inch diameter pipe crossing under the river between Windsor and Detroit. The Utopia Pipeline carries ethane from Harrison County, Ohio to Windsor and onto Sarnia for plastic production.
"This is a feedstock for plastics and plastics are used for most everything in this room when you look around and so, it's very important as part of our energy system to capture these types of products — which many times are flared away," says Fore.
A public open house on the project was held Tuesday at Windsor's MacKenzie Hall — and it was made more interesting by a group of protesters holding a silent show of opposition to the company and its activities.
An open house at MacKenzie Hall for Kinder Morgan's proposed replacement of the Utopia Pipeline running under the Detroit River draws a small anti-pipeline protest on August 28, 2018. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Windsor's Bree Arbor spoke for the protesters who feel pipeline projects don't fit in with responsible action on climate change.
"I think that more people are becoming cognizant of the power that we have as communities to stand up and say, 'We don't like the policies our leaders are taking on climate,'" says Arbor. "We think that [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau is really not keeping up his promises and we really don't like the interests of oil companies."
Fore says there hasn't been an incident with the previous pipeline and expects the environmental protections will only be stronger with the new line.
"It's a very rigorous review process so, when folks are interested in environmental impacts or what is it that a project like this is going to do related to the environment — they should look at the permitting process. Take a detailed look at our permits," says Fore.
An open house at MacKenzie Hall for Kinder Morgan's proposed replacement of the Utopia Pipeline running under the Detroit River draws a small anti-pipeline protest on August 28, 2018. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
The project is before the National Energy Board and if all necessary permits are obtained, Kinder Morgan expects construction to begin July 2019.
The pipeline could be in service by October 2019.
Arbor says there's no reason to double-down on pipelines when other sources of energy exist.
"Rather than try to replace it and continue our use of fossil fuels, we should be seeking energy alternatives and we would rather that our country and our economy put our resources towards that," says Arbor.
She adds, while the Utopia project may be a minor one, the show of opposition is mainly focused on a larger environmental and economic message.
"We don't necessarily want hydrocarbons and other kinds of fossil fuels going through this area, especially things that come from fracking and other destructive processes; but, it's also about broader issues — it's about the Trans Mountain Pipeline which has been very controversial."
An open house at MacKenzie Hall for Kinder Morgan's proposed replacement of the Utopia Pipeline running under the Detroit River draws a small anti-pipeline protest on August 28, 2018. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Kinder Morgan spokesperson Allen Fore recognizes the federal government's plans to buy its Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5-billion has stirred up extra interest in the Detroit River project.
"I think it's drawn some attention to it that you might not have on a project like this because at the end of the day this is a replacement project, it's a maintenance project," he says.
Fore adds the company will use a horizontal directional drilling process to install the new 10-inch diameter pipeline deeper into the floor of the Detroit River.
An open house at MacKenzie Hall for Kinder Morgan's proposed replacement of the Utopia Pipeline running under the Detroit River draws a small anti-pipeline protest on August 28, 2018. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
An open house at MacKenzie Hall for Kinder Morgan's proposed replacement of the Utopia Pipeline running under the Detroit River draws a small anti-pipeline protest on August 28, 2018. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)