TransCanada will begin digging and inspecting selected points of the Bison Pipeline to further check for anomalies in the 302-mile line after a July 20 rupture forced its closure and repair, it said Monday.
TransCanada spokesman David Dodson said the company is launching targeted digs at the request of the US Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to look for anomalies similar to the one at the rupture site in northeast Wyoming.
"We're looking for anomalies from that caliper run, which had passed inspection previously, to see if it matches some of the traits with the affected anomaly," Dodson said. "We need to get in and look at the pipeline."
The 477,000 Mcf/d pipeline runs from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming to the Northern Border Pipeline in North Dakota. It has been shuttered on force majeure since the rupture more than two weeks ago, though necessary repairs to the pipeline have been completed.
Dodson said most of the digs and inspections will be completed by Wednesday, while flooded low-lying areas will extend the timeline for the examination of others.
The pipeline had been in-service since January after its opening was twice delayed due to inclement weather and environmental concerns.
