Sarnia

Enbridge Poised To Activate Line 9

It's all systems go for western crude to flow east through a reversed Enbridge pipeline from the Hamilton area to Montreal.

Company spokesman Ken Hall says the company has installed 17 new shut-off valves at major water crossings, bringing the total to 62.

They've received conditional approval from the National Energy Board and have filed for the final "leave to open" permit.

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Oil originally flowed from west to east when the Line was built in the 1970's but was changed in the 1990's to carry lower cost off-shore oil west.

Hall says polymer chemical will help reduce drag of oil sands crude, allowing an increase in flow without increasing pipe size or pressure.

The first phase of the project reversed the flow in the line from Sarnia to Westover.

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