Residents passing over the Broadway Bridge Thursday afternoon may have spotted two boats working the water with ropes and a bright yellow boon.

The activity was part of ongoing training that energy company Enbridge employees undergo to prepare for a pipeline leak or emergency situation in the water.

Seven employees were undergoing water training throughout the day, said Ron Cook, a marshal and pipeline manager.

The training is ongoing, and associates will practice at various times in different locations.

Enbridge’s nearest pipeline is on the St. Joseph River, and is located about 2 miles upstream from the Broadway bridge, near U.S. 12, Cook said.

Out on the water, employees in boats could be seen towing a bright yellow flotation device called a boon over the water. Rigging a rope to the device, employees practiced maneuvering the boon on the water.

Cook said the practice will help employees learn how to manage boat operation, how to work the boon, find anchor points and how to set up a collection point to isolate a spill and begin the process to pick up the oil off the water.

“It takes time to get exposed to all the aspects,” Cook said. “Not only do we do emergency response, we also do maintenance on the pipeline.  It is quite the variety of skills that they have to learn.”

Equipment is in place to help detect when a leak is present, including mass balance system and flow meters.

“It [the equipment] measures what goes in and what goes out in certain sections of pipe,” Cook said. “If something does not correlate properly then it will send up a flag and we will shut the line down and respond.”

A barrel skimmer is also used to collect oil from the water. Any oil skimmed off the surface of water during a leak will be distributed into a vacuum truck.

Prior to getting employees out on the water, Cook said they cleared using the river with the Niles Fire Department.

“It is important to have every one of these guys efficient with the task,” Cook said. “Any one of them can pick up any one of these tasks, and we are confident that they will be performed properly.”

Mechanical aptitude and knowing what to do in a leak situation are the skills needed to help minimize the damage on a potential leak, Cook said.

As far as effectiveness, Cook said that the methods are a primary tool in removing oil from water.

Out of a 12-person crew, Cook said three staff members are dedicated to damage prevention.

The Canada-based business has an office in Niles, located at 68183 Surges Road.