Alberta agricultural land faces pipeline invasion; C$23B in projects on horizon
Alberta rural property owners have been served notice that their properties are about to be hit by a wave of new pipelines.
David MacInnis, president of the Canadian Energy Pipelines Association, told agricultural producers that projects worth about C$23 billion are expected over the next 12 to 15 years as new construction doubles the industry’s investment in large long-distance pipelines.
The bulk involves additions to transportation links from the oil sands, but the natural gas sector has only the C$7 billion Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline in the lineup.
Spare capacity to evaporate MacInnis said spare oil capacity will evaporate over the next year or so, although Enbridge and Kinder Morgan are in the process of making additions to Canada’s main shipping systems.
They are also seeking industry backing and regulatory approvals for pipelines to the United States and possibly to British Columbia ports for tanker shipment to Asia.
However, McInnis said Enbridge’s planned Gateway project to serve Asia is likely to be delayed reaching the construction stage because of the hunger in Canadian and United States markets for Canadian crude.
He urged the rural property owners to report questionable conduct by contract land acquisition agents to the pipeline companies and recommended they join surface rights associations to improve dealings with pipelines.
MacInnis also said the National Energy Board and Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board should take a more proactive role in explaining compensation and environmental rights of landowners affected by projects.
—Gary Park
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