Suncor Energy, a committed shipper on Enbridge's Line 9B crude oil pipeline in Canada, expects Enbridge to complete the pipeline reversal in mid 2015. Enbridge is the operator of the Line 9 pipeline with a current capacity of approximately 240,000 bbl/d. Originally flowing eastward, Line 9 was reversed in 1998 as foreign oil from areas such as West Africa and the Middle East became more affordable (Quebec’s two remaining refineries currently process 90% foreign-sourced crude). However, Western Canadian crude is now priced significantly lower than foreign oil. As a result, Enbridge filed a project application with the NEB for the section known as Line 9B in November 2012, proposing at the same time to expand the capacity of Line 9 from 240,000 bbl/d to 300,000 bbl/d. The project, initially expected to be commissioned in 2014, received conditional approval in March 2014 and was delayed as Enbridge had to procure additional information to the NEB.
Source: Enbridge