There have been no discussions between representative from Northern Gateway and Pacific Trail Pipeline about how the two proposed projects can work together to reduce the environmental footprint of their construction.
Northern Gateway engineering manager Ray Doering said during National Energy Board hearings Friday night in Prince George that Pacific Trail has so far rebuffed his company's requests to meet.
"[Pacific Trail] at this point, has still chosen not to respond and work co-operatively," Doering said during testimony in front of a joint review panel. "But we do continue to reach out and would certainly be interested and willing at any time to work on some of these issues co-operatively with [Pacific Trail]."
The Northern Gateway project aims to connect Alberta's oilsands with Kitimat via a crude oil pipeline, while Pacific Trail is trying to build a natural gas pipeline from Summit Lake to Kitimat.
The rights of way for the two pipelines parallel each other for some segments of B.C. and Northern Gateway witnesses have said repeatedly during testimony that by working with Pacific Trail they can minimize some environmental effects. For instance, the two companies could use the same areas during construction, which would require fewer areas to be disturbed.
Apache, the company behind the gas pipeline, has shown no inclination, however, of working with Northern Gateway.
"The proposed Pacific Trail Pipeline project is a standalone, natural gas pipeline project," Apache spokesman Paul Wyke said in a written statement. "We are not in any discussions with Enbridge and do not comment on projects we are not involved in."
Northern Gateway environment director Paul Anderson said even if the Pacific Trail decides it doesn't want to work with his company, the oil pipeline would still be able to use some of the facilities created by the gas pipeline since it's likely Northern Gateway would be the second of the two to be built.
"I think it is worth noting that even if we don't have their full co-operation, there would be benefits from them preceding us in terms of access roads . . . and other access that they would create for the right of way that we would use during our construction," Anderson said in response to questioning from Josette Wier of Smithers.
"Six pipelines and nobody talking to each other," Wier replied. "That's bizarre."
Wier was the last intervener to ask questions of Northern Gateway's environmental effects panel. The JRP panel is adjourned until Nov. 22 when it will resume hearings in Prince George.
