Hearing begins for Trans Mountain pipeline variance request

CALGARY The Canada Energy Regulator is slated to hear oral arguments Friday from the company building the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion on its request for a pipeline variance. The Crown corporation behind the project has run into difficulties drilling through hard rock in B.C. and is asking permission to use a different size of pipe for a 2.3 kilometre stretch of pipeline.

But the regulator previously denied that request, citing concerns around safety and pipeline integrity. Trans Mountain Corp. has since said it now believes the project could face a worst case scenario of a two year delay in completion without the change. The Trans Mountain pipeline is Canada's only oil pipeline to the west coast, and its expansion will boost the pipeline's capacity to 890,000 barrels per day from 300,000 bpd currently.

The project's completion had originally been expected in the first quarter of this year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2024..