Quote:
Originally Posted by MrButtons
Listened to a podcast yesterday and the guests (two were from YYC) were talking about how a pipeline across the provinces is probably not likely. it's a decade out if it happens and we should focus on either a smaller goal of getting it to the west coast or instead of pipeline, using rail. I know little to nothing on the rail subject, anyone got any insight on the history of that or the likelihood it could work? Or articles from the bootlickin MSM I could read?
|
We already move a lot of oil by rail, so that works. The rail lines are already built, so it's just a matter of capacity. It won't be anywhere near as efficient as a pipeline, and can create cost increases in shipping goods elsewhere if the rail companies prioritize oil-by-rail.
They're also right that a 1,000km pipeline to the West Coast, even through the mountains, will be quicker and far less expensive than building a 4,000km pipeline to the East Coast, a lot of that through the Canadian Shield. Energy East's business case was only feasible for TC because they were planning on converting a natural gas pipeline through Ontario to an oil one.
So in the short term, if a federal government wanted to force a pipeline through for national interest reasons at a time when there would be the public will to do so, the Northern Gateway route to the West Coast would be the way to do it.