TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE SYSTEM

Running Head: TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE SYSTEM 1
Trans Mountain Pipeline System
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE SYSTEM 2
Trans Mountain Pipeline System
Region and Topic Description
The Trans Mountain pipeline system carries both refined and crude oil from Alberta to
Canada, the coast of British Columbia. It is a subsidiary of the Canada Development Investment
Corporation which, is accountable to the Canadian Parliament. The pipeline has conducted its
operations since the year 1953. Kinder Morgan did issue a proposal to the National Energy
Board to attain a permit for the pipeline expansion with a second span. The request made in the
year 2013 was to be built parallel to the existing line (Systems, 2015). The expansion was to
be done between Burnaby and Edmonton, its primary purpose being to facilitate the
transportation of diluted bitumen. Twelve new pumping stations were needed to facilitate the fast
flow of the asphalt. Nine hundred and eighty kilometers of pipe was required to ensure the
project becomes a success. Hence, the bitumen ferried would be raised to significant amounts.
The targets behind the proposal were that the oil ferrying is raised from 300,000 barrels per day
to 890,000 barrels. Kinder Morgan believed they could run the project smoothly. Several Large
Petroleum Industries were to support the company. Some of them included Canadian Oil Sands
Limited, Canadian Natural Resources, Statoil Canada Limited, and many others. The project is
associated with lots of advantages and disadvantages hence, the managing team has to come with
rational methods that will ensure impacted group meeting attain satisfaction.
Critical Assessment
The individuals reacting to the project seemed to have limited understanding of either the
benefits or the deficiencies of the project. As a result, the expansion was viewed as a cause of
significant environmental impact hence attracting lots of controversies. Apart from that, the

TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE SYSTEM 3
project faced legal related challenges. The environmentalists conducted massive protests in the
streets in addition to the First Nations groups. British Columbia announced that it did not support
the Trans Mountain in the year 2016. The main reason being that information provided in regards
to spill prevention and clean-up programs for the spill was not sufficient (Fingas, 2018). It was
established that both the existing and proposed pipelines ship would facilitate the dilution of
bitumen at a susceptible environmental region, the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The risks of leaks were
too high as a result of vehicle crashes. The accidents are predicted to occur if the tankers will
pass through a channel of shallow water that is very narrow and coming from the sea. All trucks
will have to utilize the channel to find their way to the terminus.
It is important to appreciate different opinions and personalities in the society in regards
to diverse endeavors. They play a significant role in pushing for a balance in the community.
One notices that amid rebellious personnel, there were also supporters. They viewed it as a
significant source of job in addition to minimized risks of spilling oil compared to transporting
oil by rail. Oil transport by rail was the only standing alternative. There were claims that Kinder
Morgan did overestimate the economic benefits that are to come as a result of the pipeline
expansion, this was as per the 2014 study by Simon Fraser University. Proper management of
expectations has to be a mandatory virtue to be embrace by all in the society. Western Canadian
Select that serves as Canada’s benchmark for crude oil sold at an average discount of 17 United
States dollars against West Texas Intermediate, the light oil benchmark. The same happened
from 2008 to 2018. In the fall of 2018, the prices widened to a record of 50 United States dollars.
On the other hand, the Western Canadian Select Price hit a record low of less than 14 United
States dollars per barrel (McConaghy, 2019).