Protect the Environment
Protect the Environment
We have committed to be responsible environmental stewards while striving to help meet North America’s increasing demand for clean-burning natural gas. Our challenge is to grow the business while minimizing the environmental impact of our operations.
By expanding our natural gas infrastructure, we provide a source of cleaner-burning energy. An area of growing importance across North America is gas-fired electricity generation. Using natural gas to fuel generating stations offers significantly lower carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions compared to using coal or oil as fuel.
In 2009 we established an environmental framework to consolidate our strategies for identifying and managing environmental risks and impacts across our operations. Building on the best of Spectra Energy’s established environmental practices, the framework includes five key objectives:
- Identify and understand environmental impacts across the value chain, from natural gas production to end use
- Design projects to minimize or eliminate environmental impacts
- Reduce or manage remaining impacts
- Encourage responsible use of natural gas in our retail market areas
- Engage and respond to stakeholders
Our Approach
Our environmental strategy remains focused on meeting or exceeding compliance requirements with applicable laws and regulations. We also analyze and adopt best practices for managing operational and environmental risks.
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Land Stewardship
Access to land for facilities and pipeline rights-of-way is a key business priority for us, and we recognize that certain areas across North America have particular biological or cultural sensitivity. We take great care to consult with stakeholders and limit the impact of our facilities on these areas. We also support conservation and biodiversity efforts in the broader community. <Read More>
Championing Energy Efficiency
To ensure economic and environmental sustainability, we champion energy efficiency in our operations and offer assistance to our customers to help them conserve energy. Minimizing energy use reduces operating costs and emissions, and over the long term energy efficiency benefits North American energy security. <Read More>
Our Perspective on Climate Change
Our commitment to environmental responsibility includes working to reduce our carbon footprint and taking a lead role in helping our customers manage energy efficiently. <Read More>
Carbon Capture and Storage
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that captures and safely stores carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. Spectra Energy has been recognized by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a world leader in CCS applications. <Read more>
The Sustainability Performance Scorecard reports the progress made on our commitments. The table also highlights our commitment focus areas and planned next steps.
Implement our EHS data protocol and management systems (EPASS) including greenhouse gas emissions
EPASS has been implemented and broadened to enable organization-wide learning from environmental incidents. Scope and accuracy of environmental performance reporting improved.
Continue to assess possible environmental impacts and consider strategies to minimize and mitigate these impacts.
Environmental Strategy Framework was developed in 2009 that enables understanding of impacts and reduction or management of remaining impacts.
Continue to develop projects and customer focused programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Approximately 2.9 million tonnes of cumulative CO2e emissions have been avoided or reduced from 2007–2009 by operating seven carbon capture and storage facilities, running demand side management programs, and focusing on operational efficiency.
Next Steps
Develop environmental footprint and energy efficiency metrics while continuing to improve performance reporting.
Extend environmental performance requirements to contractors and suppliers.
Conduct pilot waste minimization projects to evaluate waste reduction opportunities.
Continue to develop projects and customer-focused programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Continue to assess feasibility of Fort Nelson Carbon Capture and Storage project to enable a decision regarding full project execution.
