The possibility exists that the rupture on June 10 th was at least partially due to one or more anomalies detected by a smart-pig analysis voluntarily performed by Olympic Pipeline Company in 1996. The interpreter of those anomalies decided they did not warrant further inspection. Although the June 10 th incident may also have been caused by 3 rd party damage to the pipe, as I stated earlier, there is doubt as to whether or not a smart-pig could have detected such damage. Further, I am advised that the operation of this particular pipe has, over time, resulted in an inordinate number of pressure surges, which may, over time, weaken the pipe. In saying this, I am not advocating for blanket hydrostatic testing on all pipelines across the county, and I am not belittling the importance of pipelines to our economy.
Pipelines can be effective and safe.
The extenuating circumstances which I just described, however, demand such testing on this pipeline at this time. A smart-pig analysis will take up to a year to complete, and must be performed while the pipeline is in operation. I do not believe my constituents can rest at ease for an entire year with this pipeline operating under their feet, until the company and OPS can assure the line does not have similar defects to those that caused the two ruptures in Bellingham. Lastly, Mr. Chair, this boils down to being a good neighbor. The pipeline is a neighbor, a very close neighbor of thousands of my constituents.