Canada’s energy regulator recently recommended the approval of Kinder Morgan Inc.’s plan to expand the Trans Mountain oil pipeline, subject to 157 conditions, clearing a major hurdle for the proposed trebling of capacity to serve lucrative Asian markets.
The National Energy Board (NEB) said it found the CAD $6.8 billion (USD $5.19 billion) expansion would not cause significant harm to the environment. Kinder Morgan plans to twin its existing line, which extends from Alberta to Metro Vancouver, boosting capacity from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 bpd.
The board’s 533-page report must now be reviewed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, with a final decision expected by December.