Utility Coordination Guidelines in Strathcona County’s Industrial Heartland Area

Strathcona County (County), with a population of about 95,600 (2015 census), is the
fourth largest municipality in the Province of Alberta. Set in the centre of Alberta’s
energy and agricultural heartland, and situated immediately adjacent to the central
eastern part of the City of Edmonton, the County is a thriving, successful and vibrant
community.

The transportation of oil and gas and its by-products via utility pipelines in the Industrial
Heartland Area is an important part in Strathcona County’s economy. To promote the
safe and efficient operations in the installation of these utility pipelines with respect to
other municipal utility services, the County has studied into the sound engineering
standards and guidelines to streamline and fast track these applications and their
implementation. It is however recognized that utility pipeline routing in the Industrial
Heartland needs to be approached in a different way than conventional utility services.
Industrial lands are valuable from an economic and space efficiency perspective.
Industrial lands that cannot accommodate pipeline corridors and pipeline routing
opportunities have been identified using a different methodology. In this area transport
of product by pipeline is a commercial contract and the goal is to get from a point
outside of the Heartland to a specific industrial site. The intent of the proposed
methodology is to provide certainty and options for pipeline access to industrial sites
while ensuring optimal industrial development. Creative, innovative and industry
leading approaches to existing and emerging challenges is one of the principles behind
the methodology proposed.

This paper identifies the objectives of setting up the transportation guidelines of utility
pipelines and describes the rationale behind the promulgation of subsequent guiding
principles. Specific pipeline routing models are identified. Future widenings of County
roadways with right-of-way’s and minimum setbacks are explored. Feasibility of under
or over ground installations including possibly bridge structures is examined. Pipeline
right-of-way widths will be minimized to respect the value and need for developable land
and to allow maximum number of pipelines in the setback. Their possible conflict with
other utility services and its mitigation will be studied. The importance of cooperation
between landowners, utility providers, and relevant levels of government is highlighted
in the analyses.