Sarnia Products Pipeline
Sarnia Products Pipeline
Waterdown to Finch Project
Did you know?
Pipelines are located within land known as the pipeline right-of-way. This is a zone that allows our employees and contractors to access surface lands for construction, operation and maintenance of the pipeline.
Waterdown to Finch Project Overview
Imperial’s Sarnia Products Pipeline has been operating safely for many years. The Waterdown to Finch Project is a proactive measure to ensure continued safe and reliable fuels supply by replacing 63-kilometres of the pipeline, from our Waterdown pump station in rural Hamilton to our storage facility in Toronto’s North York area.
More detailed information on the location of the Project can be found on the regional maps in the resources section of this page.
Additional information
What we're doing
Imperial is committed to ensuring the safety and reliability of the Sarnia Products Pipeline throughout the construction period of the Waterdown to Finch Project. The existing pipeline will continue to operate reliably until the Waterdown to Finch Project is complete.
Replacement
Replacing the existing 12-inch pipeline with a new 12-inch pipeline.
Safe deactivation
Safely taking the existing line out of service and continuing to monitor it in place.
Environmental protection
Working closely with regulatory agencies and complying with all environmental requirements.
Did you know?
Imperial reliably supplies the province with fuel products from our refineries in Sarnia and Nanticoke. These are delivered to customers through outlets, including Esso and Mobil-branded gas stations, and many additional service stations under other brands.
Our refineries and delivery infrastructure also provide a significant portion of jet fuel for Toronto Pearson International Airport, which is Canada's busiest airport and a global hub for transportation.
Project timeline
With the required approvals and permits in place, construction activities began in December 2020 on the western end of the Project, beginning with the first 11 kilometres located in Hamilton and Burlington. The Project will generally progress from west to east with the new line in service by Winter 2022.
Commitment to our local communities...
Minimizing construction impacts
Imperial has been working closely with the regulator and different levels of government to minimize construction impacts throughout the duration of the Waterdown to Finch Project. Imperial will respect all landowners’ property and will seek to minimize disruptions during construction. Most replacement work will take place in close vicinity to the pipeline.
Construction Methods
Imperial builds safety and integrity into its pipelines from the outset of construction. Our pipeline projects have rigorous material, design and construction standards that comply with or exceed all applicable government and industry standards. During the Waterdown to Finch Project, Imperial will use two construction techniques: open-cut construction and horizontal directional drilling (HDD).
Horizontal directional drilling
Open cut construction
Open cut construction is the fastest method for pipeline installation.
- Lay and bend the pipe to match the contours of the land
- Weld, test and inspect the pipe
- Lower pipe into the trench and cover it for protection
Trenchless construction
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a method of installing underground pipe using a drilling rig at the surface level.
- Drill along a designed directional path
- Enlarge the pilot hole to fit the pipeline
- Pull the pipeline back through the hole
Where will we deploy trenchless construction?
Imperial will deploy trenchless construction known as HDD to minimize impacts to sensitive or congested areas like water bodies, significant wetlands, highways and sensitive archaeological or cultural heritage sites.
Deactivating existing pipeline
Safely deactivating the current pipeline, which will cause the least disturbance to the local environment and minimize our construction footprint. To learn about the pipeline deactivation process, watch our video below.
Further detail about the construction methods and our approach to protecting the environment can be found in the Waterdown to Finch Project brochure or in our information session poster boards.
Learn about the pipeline deactivation processFocused on safety
Focused on safety
Imperial’s safety performance is among the best in the Canadian energy industry. We attribute our record of safe and reliable operations to our preventative maintenance and proactive pipeline inspection programs. Learn how Imperial prepares for continued safe pipeline operations.
To protect all of our stakeholders including employees, contractors and the general public, Imperial will follow all relevant public health measures and COVID-19 workplace guidelines along the entire Project footprint.
Ensuring safety in the communities we serve
Our safety, monitoring, and preventative maintenance measures include:
Our commitment to community engagement
Indigenous collaboration
We are engaging Indigenous field monitors on archaeological assessments and environmental field surveys to support the preservation of known archaeological and cultural heritage resources.
Our commitment to community engagement
Working with the local community
Imperial is committed to meaningful community engagement thought the construction period. We will continue to work with local community members to help inform solutions to minimize the impact of any disruptions.
Need help?
Onsite representative available to address any questions
Information
Public information sessions in communities along the Project footprint.
Additional resources
Regulatory documents, maps, and more.Additional information
Frequently asked questions
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