Obama Approves New Cross-Border Pipeline Benefiting Canadian Oil Sand Producers

[Old Union Guy]

That is not officially the Keystone pipeline itself just yet.

Keystone Pipeline Update: Obama Approves New Cross-Border Pipeline Benefiting Canadian Oil Sand Producers
http://www.ibtimes.com/keystone-pipeline-update-obama-approves-new-cross-border-pipeline-benefiting-canadian-oil-sand
(International Business Times)

Whether or not President Barack Obama will approve the Keystone XL pipeline or not, oil sand in Alberta will continue to be extracted, as the president recently gave the go ahead in a new cross-border pipeline benefiting Canadian oil producers.

The 1,900-mile proposed Cochin, Kinder Morgan pipeline, approved on Nov. 22, will transport natural gas liquids (NGL) produced from hydraulic fracturing in Texas, north through Illinois and eventually into Alberta. There is a demand for imports of condensate to use as a diluent for blending with heavy Canadian crude.

Extracting oil sands requires a lot of energy to break down the bitumen, which is a form of petroleum in solid or semi-solid form that is blended in clay, sand and water. To flow through a pipeline it needs diluent to help break down the solid form.

...

[truedelphi]

1. Betrayal, upon betrayal. n/t

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. I don't see any evidence of that.

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The Nov.. 22 permit specifically states:

"The permittee shall make no substantial change in the United States facilities"

no substantial change - that would include extending the pipeline, no?

http://www.state.gov/e/enr/applicant/applicants/217905.htm

/snip/

The term “United States facilities” as used in this permit means those parts of the facilities located in the United States. The United States facilities consist of a 12.75 inch diameter pipeline extending from the international border between the United States and Canada at a point near Sherwood in Renville County, North Dakota, to the first block valve in the United States, located at milepost 636 of the pipeline, approximately 14.5 miles south of the international boundary. The United States facilities also include certain appurtenant facilities.

This permit is subject to the following conditions:

Article 1. (1) The United States facilities herein described, and all aspects of their operation, shall be subject to all the conditions, provisions, and requirements of this permit and any amendment thereof. This permit may be terminated or amended at any time at the discretion of the Secretary of State or the Secretary's delegate or upon proper application therefor. The permittee shall make no substantial change in the United States facilities, the location of the United States facilities, or in the operation authorized by this permit until such changes have been approved by the Secretary of State or the Secretary's delegate.

/snip/ (emphasis mine)

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Furthermore - I see that to extend the pipeline, all sorts of legal hurdles yet have to be addressed, but as yet, I do not even see any permission ANYWHERE to extend the pipeline, nor do I see an application.

more from the gov't link:

/snip/

Article 2. The standards for, and the manner of, the operation and maintenance of the United States facilities shall be subject to inspection and approval by the representatives of appropriate federal, state and local agencies. The permittee shall allow duly authorized officers and employees of such agencies free and unrestricted access to said facilities in the performance of their official duties.

Article 3. The permittee shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding the connection, operation, and maintenance of the United States facilities and with all applicable industrial codes. The permittee shall obtain all requisite permits from state and local government entities and relevant federal agencies.

/snip/
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With the political/social climate in the USA right now, I don't expect too much cooperation from states, municipalities, or private landowners giving up their land to build/extend ANY pipelines.

Besides the state/municipal/personal loss of property;

pipelines don't have a real good safety record.

In fact, the whole Petroleum industry's safety records suck;

explosions, leaks, major spills, years of litigation to effect PARTIAL cleanups and so on . . .

I don't think this extension is gonna happen.

I see no application for it,

or approval.

CC

[FogerRox]

3. Its the reversal permit that was approved.

Thats what you linked to @ State Dept. The northern terminus for the Cochin pipeline is in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, the NGC will be used there as a dilutant for Bitumen. The 12.75 inch pipeline can carry 95kbpd.

http://www.kindermorgan.com/business/products_pipelines/cochin_open_season.cfm

From the map its clear that NGC from the Gulf Coast can be shipped by pipeline all the way to Alberta.