The province of Québec (Canada) has set out seven conditions for the approval of TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline project, requiring consultations with local communities to "ensure the project's social acceptability". The conditions are similar to those set out by the province of British Columbia for approving the Northern Gateway pipeline (from Alberta to British Columbia) developed by Enbridge. This announcement follows the negative vote by the US Senate, rejecting TransCanada's Keystone XL project aimed at delivering crude oil from the Alberta oil sands deposits in Canada to the US Gulf Coast.
The Energy East Pipeline Project is a 1.1 mb/d crude oil pipeline project worth C$12bn (US$10.7bn). It involves converting approximately 3,000 km of existing natural gas pipe in the Canadian Mainline between the Alberta/Saskatchewan border to Cornwall, Ontario, into oil pipelines and the remaining 1,600 km will be new construction mainly in Québec and New Brunswick. Associated facilities will include pumping stations in each province and four new oil storage terminals, one each in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Québec and New Brunswick. The terminals in Québec and New Brunswick will include facilities for marine tanker loading. Energy East is anticipated to be in service in early 2018 for deliveries in Québec and late 2018 for deliveries to New Brunswick. Final approval lies with the federal government.
Source: TransCanada