B.C. coast at risk if crude oil delivery rises substantially

By Misty MacDuffee and Chris Genovali, Edmonton Journal July 23, 2011

Earlier this year, energy giant Kinder Morgan submitted an application to the National Energy Board, proposing to increase the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline that is delivering oilsands crude to the Westridge Marine Terminal in British Columbia’s Burrard Inlet.

It’s nothing new for Kinder Morgan, as two earlier applications had increased capacity to the current 300,000 barrels per day. But this and other ensuing applications propose expansions that would deliver 700,000 barrels per day to the Westridge terminal by 2016.

While concerned British Columbians are focused on the threat of oil tankers to B.C.’s north coast posed by the Enbridge Northern Gateway project, these incremental tariff applications are an effective way for Kinder Morgan to quadruple the amount of crude oil going from Burrard Inlet through Georgia Strait, Gulf Islands, Haro Strait and Juan de Fuca Strait without ever mentioning the terms “oil tanker” or “oilsands.”

To read the rest of this article please visit the Edmonton Journal website.

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