{ “## The Keystone XL Pipeline Journey”,
“The Keystone XL pipeline was designed to transport oil from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the United States. Developed by TC Energy (formerly TransCanada Corporation), this project was part of a series of pipelines constructed between Canada and the U.S. since 2010.”,
“In March 2019, then-President Donald Trump issued a Presidential permit for the pipeline’s construction that would traverse the United States-Canada border. However, on Jan. 20, 2021, President Joe Biden reversed this permit via an executive order.”,
“### Key Insights”,
##:
“* Proposed by TC Energy in 2005 to transport heavy oil from Canada’s oil sands to U.S. refineries.”
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Keystone XL pipeline could cover a length of 2,687 miles (4,324 km).
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It faced years of controversy over environmental impacts.
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On Jan. 20, 2021, President Biden rescinded the pipeline’s construction permit.
“## Visualizing the Keystone XL Pipeline Plan”,
“Initially unveiled by TransCanada Corp. in 2005, the Keystone Pipeline was hailed as a strategic move to convert an existing natural gas pipeline to facilitate the transportation of crude oil. The following were components of its extensive layout:”,
“1. First Phase: Connected Hardisty, Alberta, with junctions at Steele City, Nebraska, then extended to refineries in Roxana, Illinois, and the Patoka Oil Terminal Hub.”,
“2. Second Phase: Ran from Steele City through Kansas to Cushing, Oklahoma, and down to Nederland, Texas, to support refineries in Port Arthur.”,
“3. Third Phase: The Houston Lateral pipeline aimed to ferry crude oil from Liberty County, Texas to refineries and terminals in the Houston area.”,
Political Tug-of-War:
In Nov. 2015, President Barack Obama announced his administration would not grant construction permits for the pipeline to bolster climate change efforts. In contrast, President Trump’s administration endorsed the pipeline, claiming it would generate jobs and boost economic growth. However, President Biden’s executive order in Jan. 2021 decisively halted the project, which TC Energy had already retracted earlier that day.",
Mechanism of the Keystone Pipeline:
The Keystone system was envisioned to carry diluted bitumen and synthetic crude oil across multiple U.S. states. Extracted from Canada’s oil sands, this heavy oil, which has unique refining requirements, uses a process known for emitting substantial particulate matter and chemicals like sulfides and hydrogen cyanide. The complete Keystone XL pipeline was projected to transport over 800,000 barrels of oil daily.",
“### Environmental Conversations Continued”,
Environmental activists, policymakers and local residents persistently opposed the Keystone pipeline aggressively. Citing the proximity to Nebraska’s Sandhill region and the Ogallala aquifer—an essential water source for U.S. crops, these groups highlighted high greenhouse gas emissions resulting from oil sands bitumen transportation.",
-Grastal, National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), pursuing legal actions multiple times including in 2017, 2019, and in July 2020 to impede the pipeline constructions. According to the NRDC tar sands oil prone to corrosion posing leak and spill threats. As illustration in October 2019, North Dakota suffered 378,000 gallons tar sands crude spill.",
Advocates vs. Critics",
Related Terms: TransCanada Corp, oil refineries, crude oil, bitumen, environmental impact.
References
- TransCanada. “TransCanada Proposes Keystone Oil Pipeline Project”.
- U.S. Government Publishing Office. “Presidential Permit—Authorizing TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P., To Construct, Connect, Operate, and Maintain Pipeline Facilities at the International Boundary Between the United States and Canada”, Pages 1-3.
- The White House. “Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis”.
- TC Energy. “Overview”.
- TC Energy. “Keystone Pipeline System”.
- The White House. “Statement by the President on the Keystone XL Pipeline”.
- U.S. Government Publishing Office. “Memorandum on Construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline”, Pages 1-3.
- Keystone XL. “About Keystone XL”.
- United States Department of Agriculture. “Ogallala Aquifer Initiative”.
- Natural Resources Defense Council. “What Is the Keystone XL Pipeline?”
- Natural Resources Defense Council. “The Keystone XL Pipeline”.
