The newly elected US President has signed executive orders to revive the proposed Keystone XL and Dakota Access crude oil pipeline projects, which had been blocked by the former President.
The US$6.1bn Keystone XL project, developed by Canadian energy infrastructure group TransCanada, aims at transporting up to 800,000 bbl/d of crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta (Canada) to Steele City, Nebraska (United States). The project was vetoed by Obama in late 2015, ending a 7-year political fight over the project. TransCanada will now resubmit an application for the project with the US State Department, which has 60 days to decide on the project.
The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) developed by Dakota Access (part of the Energy Transfer Partners group) is designed to carry approximately 500,000 bbl/d of crude oil from the Bakken and Three Forks oil production areas in North Dakota to oil markets in Illinois. Earlier in January 2017, the Army Corps announced that it would start an environmental assessment to review alternative routes, which could delay the project. This White House decision orders the Army Corps of Engineers to “review and approve in an expedited manner, to the extent permitted by law” the Dakota Access pipeline project.
An executive order to expedite environmental reviews of other infrastructure projects was also signed.