Trans Mountain Corp. has asked the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER) to reverse its decision denying Trans Mountain’s request to change the diameter, wall thickness, and coating of the Mountain 3 segment of its 590,000-b/d crude oil pipeline expansion. The company, owned by the Canadian government, said that the decision could delay the project by as much as 2 years and lead to billions of dollars of additional expenses.
The pipeline project’s current specifications, particularly the pipe diameter, could compromise the integrity of a borehole that makes up part of the 1.4-mile segment between Hope and Chilliwack, BC, Trans Mountain said in a letter to CER. Trans Mountain noted that high rates of water ingress were already occurring and that these could worsen if its request was not granted.
The company requested that CER respond to its request no later than Jan. 9, 2024. The expansion project is more than 97% complete and had been scheduled to start operations by end first-quarter 2024.
Trans Mountain runs from Alberta production sites to Burnaby, BC. Its expansion will increase capacity to 890,000 b/d. CER earlier in the year had approved a route-deviation request for Trans Mountain (OGJ, Oct. 25, 2023).