Infrastructure

Canada's Harper pitches Keystone oil line in NY

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 17 May 2013 02:30:03 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in New York Thursday promoting the Keystone XL pipeline, the $5.3 billion project that would move oil from the province of Alberta to the US heartland.

Washington is expected to decide soon on the fate of TransCanada's proposal to build the 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) line to the US state of Nebraska, where it would connect with another pipeline to move the oil to refineries in Texas.

Canada PM defends tar sands pipeline plan, saying oil will come into U.S. anyway

The Canadian Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:48:42 +0000

The Canadian Press

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Canada's prime minister says a controversial oil pipeline from his country to the U.S. Gulf Coast "absolutely needs to go ahead" and warns that the oil will be transported through one way or the other.

Stephen Harper spoke on the Keystone XL project during a visit to New York City on Thursday. The pipeline project carrying oil from Canada's tar sands would need approval from the U.S. State Department.

Canadian senator: Proposed pipeline has better chance of reality after Liberals' re-election

The Canadian Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:36:20 +0000

The Canadian Press

TORONTO - The re-election of British Columbia's Liberal government means a pipeline from Alberta to Canada's Pacific coast that would allow tankers to export oil to Asia now has a better chance of being built, a Canadian senator said Wednesday.

British Columbia's Liberal party surprised pundits by winning Tuesday's election. The leftist New Democratic Party, which is against Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, had widely been expected to win.

British Columbia Liberals' shock win keeps pipeline afloat

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:45:56 +0000

Agence France-Presse

British Columbia Liberals won an upset in the Canadian province's elections, officials said Wednesday, raising hopes for a pipeline from Canada's oil sands to the Pacific Coast for shipping to Asia.

Premier Christy Clark, who has expressed tepid support for Enbridge's Northern Gateway project, was widely predicted to lose to the New Democrats, who fiercely opposed construction of the 1,177 kilometers (731 mile) pipeline.

But preliminary election results show the Liberals won 50 out of 85 seats in the provincial legislature, versus 33 for the New Democrats.

N.W.T. industry minister touts 'made in the North' oil pipeline alternative

The Canadian Press — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:01:35 +0000

The Canadian Press

CALGARY - The Northwest Territories is promoting the idea of a "made-in-the-North" oil pipeline as a means to get Canadian crude to international markets, bypassing jurisdictions that have been less than keen on such developments.

"Certainly the Northwest Territories is in a good location when it comes to the possible routing of the pipeline north," David Ramsay, the territory's industry minister, said in a recent interview.

Ontario plans $35 billion in infrastructure spending over three years

The Canadian Press — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:31:42 +0000

The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Ontario's minority Liberals used Thursday's budget to clearly signal their dedication to bolstering the province's infrastructure by allocating $35 billion in spending over three years, one of the largest commitments to a single element in their fiscal plan.

The province aims to spend nearly $13.5 billion in 2013-2014 on building transit, highways, hospitals, post-secondary institutions and hospitals.

"We will continue to make investments in modern infrastructure," Finance Minister Charles Sousa said in the legislature.

TransCanada says Keystone XL likely won't be operating until second half of 2015

The Canadian Press — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:02:21 +0000

The Canadian Press

CALGARY - TransCanada Corp. said Friday its controversial and long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline will take longer and cost more to bring into service than previously expected as it continues to await U.S. government approval.

The company (TSX:TRP) had been sticking to its late 2014 or early 2015 start up target, but the longer the regulatory process dragged on, the more difficult achieving that target became.

It is now looking at a late-2015 start-up for the pipeline, which would deliver 830,000 barrels per day from Alberta to U.S. markets, if and once it is built.

TransCanada says Keystone XL likely won't be operating until second half of 2015 if approved

The Canadian Press — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:44:54 +0000

The Canadian Press

TORONTO - The chief executive of TransCanada Corp. said Friday the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline will be in service months later than expected and cost more as it continues to await U.S. government approval.

TransCanada had been sticking to its late 2014 or early 2015 start-up target, but the regulatory process has dragged on. It is now looking at a mid to late-2015 start-up.

CEO Russ Girling noted on a conference call with analysts detailing first quarter results that the controversial pipeline is in its 67th month of the approval process.

Permit delays raise US-Canada pipeline costs

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:50:11 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Delays in greenlighting TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline will increase construction costs and postpone its in-service date by at least six months, the company said Friday.

"Due to ongoing delays in the issuance of a (US) presidential permit for Keystone XL, we now expect the pipeline to be in service in the second half of 2015," TransCanada said in its quarterly financials.

"Based on our pipeline construction experience, the $5.3 billion cost estimate will increase depending on the timing of the permit."

Canada warns against US rejection of pipeline

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:45:39 +0000

Agence France-Presse

A senior Canadian official on Wednesday warned against a US rejection of the massive Keystone XL pipeline, saying it would be a "serious reversal" in the neighbors' energy relationship.

"It is a certainty that pipelines will continue to be built in the United States regardless of the approval or the rejection of Keystone XL," Canada's natural resources minister Joe Oliver told a Washington think tank.

Most in US, Canada support Keystone pipeline

Agence France-Presse — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:15:47 +0000

Agence France-Presse

A majority of both Americans and Canadians support the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to funnel oil from Alberta's tar sands to Texas refineries, according to polls Monday.

Seventy percent of Americans and 60 percent of Canadians surveyed by Nik Nanos had a "positive or somewhat positive view" of the project, the polling firm said in a statement.

When tepid support for Keystone XL is included in the tally, the polling figures rise to 74 and 68 percent respectively.

Polish minister sacked over Russian gas project

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:46:13 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk sacked Friday the treasury minister for failing to inform him of a key Russian gas pipeline project.

"In order to reestablish the treasury ministry's full control over the state's key companies, I've decided to dismiss Mikolaj Budzanowski," Tusk told reporters.

Budzanowski left Tusk out of the loop regarding a plan by Russian gas giant Gazprom to build a new pipeline to western Europe via Poland.

The premier selected current deputy administration minister Wlodzimierz Karpinski to take his place.

Arguments spill in battle over Canada-US pipeline

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:46:41 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Environmental versus business interests faced off Thursday in the battle over the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada's tar sands to coastal Texas.

People worried about the environment and water in the most hotly contested area of the proposed pipeline, Nebraska's Sand Hills, pleaded for a halt to the $5.3 billion project at a public hearing attended by hundreds.

But supporters insisted that years of research have shown no harmful effects would come from the pipeline, and promised it would add much-needed jobs in a still sluggish US economy.

Arguments spill in battle over Canada-US pipeline

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:30:55 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Public arguments spilled over Thursday in the battle surrounding the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada's tar sands to coastal Texas.

People worried about the environment and water in the most hotly contested area of the proposed pipeline, Nebraska's Sand Hills, pleaded for a halt to the $5.3 billion project.

But supporters insisted that years of research have shown no harmful effects would come from it, and promised it would add much-needed jobs in a still sluggish US economy.

Keystone's economic benefits for US questioned

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:00:17 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Backers of the controversial $5.3 billion Keystone XL pipeline project weighed by the Obama administration could boost US jobs and energy independence, but critics say the uplift will be short-lived.

Opponents of the project to build an 1,980-mile (3,200-kilometer) conduit for oil from Canada's tar sands region to the US Gulf of Mexico coast, also warn that net impacts on US energy supplies and independence will be minimal.