You may see more of an orange hue in the sky in the coming weeks.
According to Inter Pipeline, the Heartland Petrochemical Complex is in the late stages of commissioning a start-up process that will cause noticeable flaring.
“This is a normal part of start-up operations. We just wanted to let people know it’s a part of the process of going through a safe start-up,” explained Steven Noble, manager of corporate communications for Inter Pipeline.
Flaring converts gases into common substances such as carbon dioxide and water vapour and provides a safer and more environmentally responsible alternative than releasing products directly into the atmosphere.
Noble says the flaring should begin this week and will continue intermittently over the coming weeks. Residents can also expect to see less traffic on the road come mid-summer as the Heartland Petrochemical Complex nears construction completion.
“We’ve had some big moves logistically through and in and around the community. We’ve got a lot of employee and service support from the community in the area. Over the last four years that the complex has been built, we continue to appreciate everyone’s interest, engagement, and cooperation.”
The $4-billion complex will be the first of its kind in North America. It will convert locally sourced, low-cost propane into polypropylene, a high-value, multi-use plastic used in various manufacturing products.
More information about flaring, and the complex, can be found here.