Enbridge acknowledged Thursday it needs to improve its risk assessment of potential accidents along the route of a controversial proposed pipeline that would deliver crude oil to the west coast of British Columbia. 

A company spokesman made the comments in response to a new analysis to be submitted Friday to a government review panel that raises questions about potential impacts of the Northern Gateway project.

"There are major sources of uncertainty that are not adequately acknowledged and/or incorporated into the analysis," said the review, prepared by Stella Swanson, a Calgarybased aquatic biologist.

The review analyzed the company's public submissions to the government panel that is assessing the environmental impacts of the $5.5-billion Northern Gateway project.