Pipelines
A pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countries around the world. The Un ...
in Canada are important components of
energy infrastructure in Canada as the majority of
natural gas
Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
and
oil
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...
deposits are located in landlocked
Alberta
Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
and need to be transported to ports or terminals to access larger markets.
Professional associations
The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), whose 2019 members included
Alliance Pipeline (natural gas),
ATCO Pipelines (natural gas),
Enbridge
Enbridge Inc. is a multinational pipeline transport, pipeline and energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Enbridge owns and operates pipelines throughout Canada and the United States, transporting crude oil, natural gas, and n ...
,
Inter Pipeline,
Pembina Pipeline (oil and natural gas),
Plains All American Pipeline known also as Plains Midstream Canada,
TC Energy
TC Energy Corporation (formerly TransCanada Corporation) is a major North American energy company, based in the TC Energy Tower building in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, that develops and operates energy infrastructure in Canada, the United States, ...
(oil and natural gas),
TransGas's TransGas Pipelines,
Trans Mountain pipeline,
Trans Northern Pipelines, and Calgary-based Calgary-based Wolf Midstream Inc.'s pipeline, was formed in 1993.
CEPA members transporting most of the natural gas and crude oil from Canada to other North American markets.
Since 2015, Chris Bloomer, a geoscientist, who had formerly served in executive positions at
Shell Canada
Shell Canada Limited () is the principal Canadian subsidiary of British energy major Shell plc and one of Canada's largest integrated oil companies. Exploration and production of oil, natural gas and sulphur is a major part of its business, as ...
,
Connacher Oil and Gas, and
Petrobank Energy and Resources, replaced Brenda Kenny, who served as president and CEO since 2008. Since 2015, CEPA, has provided an interactive map of its members' pipelines in Canada, including those under construction or newly completed, such as the Trans Mountain pipeline, and TC Energy's
Keystone Pipeline
The Keystone Pipeline System is an Pipeline transport, oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States, commissioned in 2010, formerly owned by TC Energy. It is now owned by South Bow, following TC Energy's spin off of its liquids business i ...
expansion—Keystone XL—and its
Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project.
According to their 2020 performance report, some of the issues upon which they focus include environmental issues including the
impact of climate change, pipeline integrity, and emergency responses, relationships with First Nations communities, regulatory policy, as well as health and safety.
In a September 30, 2020 ''
Calgary Herald
The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network.
History
''The C ...
'' article, with the oil and gas industry experiencing the
COVID-19 pandemic economic slump, CEPA CEO Bloomer was cited as stressing that Canada needs to "tout" its
environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in order to "attract new investment, expand oil and natural gas production, and get pipelines built".
Regulation and ownership
Regulation
The Canadian federal government regulates around 10% (by length) of pipelines through the
Canadian Energy Regulator.
The Regulator has precedence over provincial regulation when pipelines cross provincial or international boundaries.
Provincially each provinces has its own regulator listed below:
Rejected and abandoned pipelines
Proposed pipelines
Operating pipelines
Gallery
References
{{Canadian pipelines