Put That in Your Pipeline and Smoke It!

Suddenly, oil and gas pipelines are newsworthy. First, there was a ransomware cyber attack by the Russian 'Darkside' on the US Colonial company. This is currently preventing Colonial from moving 2.5 million barrels of oil a day to the US East coast. This is 45% of that area's oil needs (https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57050690). Now, we have a pipeline punch-up between Canada and the US (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/11/michigan-governor-enbridge-line5-shutdown). For 67 years, the Canadian Energy company, Enbridge, has routed oil and gas, through the US state of Michigan and the Great Lakes, to its refineries in Ontario. Its line 5 takes the hydrocarbons under the Straits of Mackinac. The Governor of Michigan has now ordered the Canadians to cease using line 5, claiming it is too risky and a 'ticking time bomb'. The Canadians are incensed, saying they have never had an accident. They also claim the agreement to run line 5 through the US, was between the two governments. They are effectively arguing that Michigan (where any pollution might happen), has no say in the arrangement. Pipelines have always been vulnerable and problematic. Perhaps another good reason for moving more quickly to renewables for energy generation?