Many members of the Operating Engineers of Manitoba, Local 987 work on the construction of the pipelines which run from coast to coast across Canada carrying natural gas, crude oil and their by-products. Local 987 has jurisdiction over all equipment operation and maintenance for pipeline construction projects in the province of Manitoba.

In Manitoba, the mainline natural gas pipeline is owned by Trans-Canada Pipeline, and the mainline crude oil pipeline is owned by Enbridge Corp. (formerly Inter-Provincial Pipeline). The actual construction is done by a variety of private sector pipeline contractors who bid on projects tendered by the pipeline companies. These contractors are generally members of the Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada.

Local 987 acts as a hiring hall for our members who work on these pipeline construction projects throughout Manitoba.

Local 987 members work on a winter pipeline project near Ile des Chênes, MB	A pipeline project underway in the Miniota Valley in western Manitoba

Following is an article from the February 2001 edition of Canadian Pipeliner, the newsletter of the Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada. This article is reproduced with the permission of the Association.

Foothills Pipeline ready to build if its extension to Alaska Highway Pipeline is the preferred choice

With projected claims that the demand for natural gas will increase by up to one third over the next decade, it is apparent to the pipeline industry that Foothills Pipe Lines, sponsors of the Alaska Highway Pipeline Project, is focusing its attention on completion of the northern portion of this project.

This northern phase follows the Dalton and Alaska highways for virtually the entire route from Prudhoe Bay on the northern slope of Alaska to interconnections with existing systems in northern Alberta.

Because of an existing transportation corridor, Foothills says its pipeline will simplify the logistics and reduce environmental impacts. As well, with major approvals in place, significant land tenure has been secured and data collection over the past two decades includes full scale testing to support system design.

The conceptual design developed by Foothills includes an initial capacity of 2.5 Bcfd increasing to 4.0 Bcfd eventually. It is based on using a 42-in. pipe at a pressure of 2050 psig. Initially, the system would use 12 compressor stations and ultimately 26 to move the gas through the pipeline.

A section in both Alaska and the Yukon would be built through continuous permafrost and would require the gas to be chilled. The balance of the system would use conventional cooling techniques. If the Foothills route is eventually selected, construction is estimated to take two years and an additional year for preliminary construction activities.

Construction would proceed in both summer and winter, using the latest technological advances and the modern pipeline techniques commonly used.

Total length of the project is over 2,800 km. with over 1,600 km. in Canada. It is said to be the largest natural gas project ever undertaken in North America.

The initial capital costs are estimated to be $U.S. 7.6 billion. The in-service time frame is 2006-2007.