The owner of a pipeline that burst near Prince George, B.C. earlier this month says it could be back in service by mid-November.
A 36-inch, 900-PSI natural gas line operated by Enbridge ruptured on Oct. 9, creating a significant shortage of the fuel in the province's south-west.
A neighbouring 30-inch pipeline also had to be turned off to ensure the safety of crews, but has been operating at a reduced capacity since Oct. 11.
"Safety is a guiding principle in everything we do," the energy transportation company said in a statement Friday. "We are preparing the site for construction work. The line will be made operational once that work is complete, the line is fully tested, and approval is granted by the National Energy Board."
According to GasBuddy.com analyst Dan McTeague, the pipeline closures are at least in part to blame for a supply shortage that led to the highest-ever gas prices in the Lower Mainland late last week.
Refineries in the region rely on natural gas to operate and like many of the major consumers in the province, have been asked the curtail their usage, he said, leaving them unable to fully meet the demand for gasoline.
No one was injured by the pipeline blast, which sent a large ball of fire into the air, but several homes in the area were temporarily evacuated as a precaution.
According to Enbridge, earth samples taken after the incident confirmed the dust left behind by the explosion does not pose a health risk area residents.
