Trans Mountain is pushing forward with its initial initiative to enhance oil flow through its pipeline network connecting Alberta and British Columbia. The government-owned entity has formally requested approval from the Canada Energy Regulator to utilize drag reducing agents (DRA) in order to boost oil transportation capacity by up to 10 percent.
The proposed project carries a price tag of $9 million, with construction slated to commence in August as outlined in the documents submitted to the regulator. If approved, the project is projected to be operational by January 2027. The original Trans Mountain pipeline system, established in the 1950s, was expanded with a $34 billion project that started transporting oil from Edmonton to Vancouver in May 2024.
Originally, the Crown corporation had intended to explore pipeline capacity enhancements later in the decade. However, the timeline was expedited due to escalating oil production in Alberta and the anticipated saturation of existing export pipelines in the near future.
Trans Mountain has clarified that the DRA Project will not lead to a significant increase in vessel traffic at the Westridge Marine Terminal beyond the prior assessments conducted during the reconsideration process for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. The company is also contemplating additional projects, including the construction of more pumping stations, to potentially raise daily oil transportation capacity by an extra 360,000 barrels within the next five years. Presently, the twin pipeline has the capability to move around 890,000 barrels per day between Alberta and the British Columbia coast.
Drag reducing agents, which aim to minimize friction within the pipeline, are being considered for their cost-effectiveness compared to other proposed enhancements to the pipeline system. The implementation of several planned expansions to major pipelines, including Trans Mountain, is forecasted to significantly elevate the volume of oil that can be exported from Western Canada.