Pipelines, energy and natural resources

[SeaKingTacco]

I’m waiting to see if the intended investment in expanding the Roberts Bank port in Delta will include an oil terminal. They can get oceangoing carriers there, it’s already a major container port and growing still larger. I can’t see the plan being simply to jam more AFRAMAX tankers into Burrard Inlet. If the intent here is Asian markets, that necessitates an ocean terminal.

We’ll hear more from Smith in a bit over an hour but it sounds like she’s happy. Eby’s commitment not to fight this in court is excellent.

I heard 10 billion in federal money for Robert’s Bank and 3 Billion for the Massey Tunnel replacement.

 

[HavokFour]

I think the best and most important part of this is the private partner was already in place. I commented either earlier today or yesterday about the governmental involvement helping to de-risk this, and they appears to be exactly what took place- just faster than I realized. PM Carney spoke specifically to the government’s role in this as a catalyst and as helping to remove the fear of that risk.

This is a good thing. We will get another pipeline to pacific tidewater. Premier Smith spoke about a ‘VLCC-capable’ port, so we’ll hopefully see details on that in short order.

The proposal is immediately off to the major project office for consideration as a project of national interest, and quite obviously that approval will be forthcoming.

A good day for Canada for a lot of reasons.

Not to mention it seems the new line will be owned by TMC, a crown corp.

So I guess the MOU that started all this might actually be serious.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Lets wait for the surreal moment where Carney is happy, Eby is happy, Smith is happy, and PP is unhappy.

The adult thing to do, is to acknowledge that in the end this will only benefit Canada.

 

[HavokFour]

Page is up on the Alberta website.

West coast pipeline, private partner, oilsands production and pathways

Alberta's government has submitted its application for the West Coast Oil Pipeline to the federal Major Projects Office for listing as a project of national interest.

www.alberta.ca

Possibly something similar to the Chrétien-Klein oil sands production agreement (oil royalties/production incentive) from way back?

Following months of negotiation, Alberta’s government, along with the federal government and Oil Sands Alliance, are finalizing a tripartite agreement that will include a series of regulatory reforms and growth incentives needed to expedite growth in oilsands production necessary to fill the new west coast pipeline and expand the existing Trans Mountain pipeline. Details of this agreement are expected to be released in the coming days

 

[Czech_pivo]

I think the best and most important part of this is the private partner was already in place. I commented either earlier today or yesterday about the governmental involvement helping to de-risk this, and they appears to be exactly what took place- just faster than I realized. PM Carney spoke specifically to the government’s role in this as a catalyst and as helping to remove the fear of that risk.

This is a good thing. We will get another pipeline to pacific tidewater. Premier Smith spoke about a ‘VLCC-capable’ port, so we’ll hopefully see details on that in short order.

The proposal is immediately off to the major project office for consideration as a project of national interest, and quite obviously that approval will be forthcoming.

A good day for Canada for a lot of reasons.

Well said

 

[Altair]

The adult thing to do, is to acknowledge that in the end this will only benefit Canada.

That would be the adult thing.

I will give PP credit if he does it.

I don't foresee myself needing to give PP credit.

 

[foresterab]

And environmental roadblocks, BC government added requirements along with the Federal government added more requirements. Don't forget the City of Burnaby's permits. Magically all got approved or set aside after the fact.

They actually did things properly. Were in the final stages of full project approval. Parts of the project had already started with the bulk of work waiting on the final sign off from the various levels of governments. Who added and changed the process at the final stages.

They controlled the courts, through regulations. No surprise there.

What back end did they have to build. The entire project was approved except for a few final approvals. The pipe was already ordered, much of it delivered contracts were already signed. Final sign off magically got approved once the government stepped in, the very ones who put the road blocks up.

LOL, you mean the project that has been on the books since 2013. That's pretty funny.

I'm going to point a couple of things re: original TransMountain.

TransMountain did the consultation and then turned it over to the federal gov't to make a decision. What the challange was on in regards to consultation was that the crown was unable to show any evidence it considered the consultation work done and, when alternatives existed, no decision making process was given to the alternatives. Consultation must be shown to inform a decision and if you have no record of looking at the work done and/or alternative routes proposed...you're wide open for a challange.

I will also note there have been other challanges go to the courts where a First Nation(s) were opposed to the project and the project went ahead as the proponent (industry) showed tons of evidence of consulting in good faith and when agreement was not able to be done the Crown determined that a standard had been meet and exceeded.

At least locally...and the TransMountain pipeline is very local to me...there was limited contracts signed under the original plan and many contractors were disqualified by the federal bidding process. Only very large contractors were allowed to bid but also had a series of points to gain including FN employment participation and "local" workforce. Local according to the federal government was western Canada residence so right off the bat staff housing costs went high vs. local labor forces.

Construction was god awful disjointed...contractor does this mile...but then skips one...then does two...and skips two....erratic. Spreading the work out as deadlines were long but then because more "route is open" the monitoring guys loved it...gravy train for 3 years on what most companies do in a couple of months. Add in significant design changes on the federal plan especially in BC to bore more crossings vs. open excavation and costs jumped again...got told boring alone was close to 10% of the project costs under the feds as it was a "greener" approach.

End of day it's going to be very interesting to have the twinned TransMountain route + ATCO Yellowhead Mainline parrel (scheduled for this fall) + new pipeline.

 

[brihard]

Not to mention it seems the new line will be owned by TMC, a crown corp.

So I guess the MOU that started all this might actually be serious.

Random musing - I wonder if we’ll see the federal equity stake brought into the so-called ‘sovereign wealth fund’ we’re still awaiting details on? It would seem to fit the bill.

 

[brihard]

Can someone check me on this? Other than Valdez, Alaska, does the U.S. have any VLCC terminals on the west coast? Are we about to commit to a Pacific oil export facility that the U.S. cannot match in the lower 48?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Funny thing,

Amidst all the exultation I haven't seen any mention of a competitive process that was employed to secure a qualified supplier for what looks like one of the biggest gushers of federal and provincial tax dollars in Canadian history. I wonder what a good investigative reporter might turn up if they started poking around ...

Pembina Signs Agreement to Participate in a Proposed Nation-Building Energy Corridor​

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina" or the "Company") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA), today announced that it has entered into a non-binding Heads of Agreement (the "HOA") with the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta, Trans Mountain Corporation, and Alberta Petroleum and Marketing Commission, to participate in a proposed nation-building energy infrastructure initiative intended to strengthen Canada's energy transportation network and expand market access for Canadian crude oil. Pembina will contribute its development and execution expertise to a multi-stakeholder initiative connecting Canadian energy to global markets. Pembina's participation remains subject to satisfaction of certain conditions.

News Releases

 

[brihard]

Funny thing,

Amidst all the exultation I haven't seen any mention of a competitive process that was employed to secure a qualified supplier for what looks like one of the biggest gushers of federal and provincial tax dollars in Canadian history. I wonder what a good investigative reporter might turn up if they started poking around ...

Pembina Signs Agreement to Participate in a Proposed Nation-Building Energy Corridor​

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina" or the "Company") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA), today announced that it has entered into a non-binding Heads of Agreement (the "HOA") with the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta, Trans Mountain Corporation, and Alberta Petroleum and Marketing Commission, to participate in a proposed nation-building energy infrastructure initiative intended to strengthen Canada's energy transportation network and expand market access for Canadian crude oil. Pembina will contribute its development and execution expertise to a multi-stakeholder initiative connecting Canadian energy to global markets. Pembina's participation remains subject to satisfaction of certain conditions.

News Releases

I did note that. I suspect Alberta wangled this to the point where they could bring a mostly done deal and ask if the feds wanted in.

 

[HavokFour]

Can someone check me on this? Other than Valdez, Alaska, does the U.S. have any VLCC terminals on the west coast? Are we about to commit to a Pacific oil export facility that the U.S. cannot match in the lower 48?

Nope. VLCC's have to transfer to smaller vessels off the California coast near San Clemente Island because the ports (like Long Beach) are too shallow for a fully loaded VLCC.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Can someone check me on this? Other than Valdez, Alaska, does the U.S. have any VLCC terminals on the west coast? Are we about to commit to a Pacific oil export facility that the U.S. cannot match in the lower 48?

Not that I can see.