June 29, 2018 [Kallanishenergy] - Canada’s National Energy Board has approved a variance to change the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion plans for the Burnaby Terminal in British Columbia, Kallanish Energy reports.
With the approval, Trans Mountain ULC, a Kinder Morgan subsidiary, is cleared to begin construction of the Burnaby Terminal at the western terminus of the expanded pipeline.
The changes will significantly improve safety at the crude oil terminal, the NEB said.
The company intends to build 14 new oil storage tanks at its tank farm at the Burnaby Terminal near Vancouver.
On March 1, Trans Mountain applied to the NEB to reduce the diameters of five of the 14 new tanks and to reduce the overall capacity by roughly 320,000 barrels.
The company also said it will increase the amount of space between the tanks and reconfigure the secondary containment system at the tank farm in order to reduce the risk of fire.
The NEB also released two reports stating Trans Mountain has fulfilled conditions imposed by the federal agency. The company does not yet have NEB approval to begin building the pipeline expansion.
The Canadian government has announced it intends to buy the pipeline for $3.38 billion and proceed with the $5.56 billion expansion project.
Kinder Morgan was reluctant to proceed because of strong opposition to the project in British Columbia. That triggered a very public fight between pipeline opponent British Columbia and pipeline supporters Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The expansion would run 715 miles from Edmonton, Alberta, to Burnaby.
The current oil pipeline transports about 300,000 barrels per day. The new line will be built parallel to the existing line for crude and refined oil. The expansion would nearly triple capacity, to 890,000 BPD from Alberta’s oil sands.
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