Basic Concept:
A pipeline to bring crude oil from the Athabasca
Oil Sands in northeastern Alberta, Canada
to multiple destinations in the United States.
Timeline:
February 9, 2005:
TransCanada Corporation proposed the project.
January 2009: Keystone
XL application filed
March 11, 2010: Approved
by the National Energy Board
August 26, 2011:
Environmental Impact Report - pipeline would
pose "no significant impacts"
(see below)
November 2011: President
Obama Postpones Decision until 2013
January 18, 2012:
Department of State, reccomends state deny
permit for pipeline
On
August 26, 2011, the U.S. Department
of State (the Department) issued
the final Environmental Impact Statement
for the proposed Keystone XL oil
pipeline, which, if approved, would
run from Alberta, Canada to Texas.
Under Executive Order 13337, the
Department is responsible for receiving
all applications for presidential
permits for the construction of
a pipeline crossing a United State
international border. After consultation
with eight federal agencies and
the public, the Department is charged
with making a determination as to
whether a permit for the Keystone
XL oil pipeline is in the U.S. national
interest.
The
first two phases of the Keystone
pipeline system, intended to carry
crude from Hardisty into central
PADD2 and then on down to Cushing
Oklahoma, are under start-up or
construction, with full operation
early 2011. Total system capacity
after these phases is stated as
591,000 bpd. The Keystone XL expansion
comprises two new lines, one to
run from Hardisty, cross-border
via Montana and South Dakota, to
PADD2 and the other from Cushing
to the U.S. Gulf Coast. TransCanada
projects start-up operations in
the first quarter of 2013, subject
to permits. Completion of KXL would
increase total Keystone pipeline
capacity by 700,000 bpd to 1.29
mbd, with the ability to move 591,000
bpd of crude from Hardisty to PADD2
refineries (Keystone Mainline) and
another 700,000 bpd from Hardisty
to the Gulf Coast (Keystone XL).
