I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify statements made in the April 21 article, “Contaminated waste being removed from barge, officials say.”
Woodfibre LNG will safely operate in Howe Sound.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers are safe. They have travelled around the world for the past 50 years without one major loss of containment of LNG at sea because the vessels have multiple layers of protection, highly trained crews and operate at international standards.
To ensure safe transit in Howe Sound, LNG carriers, about one every 10 days, will travel at eight to 10 knots and be escorted by at least three tugboats, at least one of which will be tethered to the carrier. For added protection, on board there will be two B.C. coast pilots who are experts on our coast.
In addition to the safe operating procedures mentioned, Woodfibre LNG will be wholly self-sufficient for emergency response. The Woodfibre site receives no services from the District of Squamish, so we will have a vessel with firefighting capabilities permanently moored at the site. Our employees will be equipped and trained in emergency response, and we will work with professional environmental consultants should there be a need for any environmental cleanup.
It’s important to remember that if spilled, LNG does not mix with land or water. As LNG is natural gas cooled to -162 degrees Celsius (and is not stored under pressure), when it is warmed up, LNG returns to a gas state and dissipates.
Furthermore, at Woodfibre LNG, we are doing our part to help revitalize Howe Sound. We plan to remove 3,000 creosote-coated piles from the foreshore of the site, which will improve habitat for fish.
Jennifer Siddon
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications,
Woodfibre LNG Ltd.
