U.S. backs XL: poll

A poll commissioned by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has pointed to strong backing among Americans for Obama administration approval of TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline “as soon as possible.”

Conducted by Anderson Insight, the poll of 2,406 Americans found that 82 percent believes pipelines are a safe way to deliver crude to market, 72 percent back Keystone XL, 74 percent see Canada as the oil supplier best able to “serve the economic interest” of the United States and 89 percent think Canada is one of the more environmentally responsible oil producers in the world.

CAPP president Dave Collyer said the results show that Americans view Canadian-sourced crude as secure, a reliable source of supply, job-creating and economically beneficial to both countries.

“Canadian oil is the right oil for the United States, at the right time and from the right country,” he said.

Canada currently exports 2.5 million barrels per day to the U.S. accounting for 25 percent of all U.S. imports and leading all external suppliers.

CAPP said that although the International Energy Agency forecasts U.S. crude production could exceed Saudi Arabia’s by 2020, the U.S. currently requires crude imports to achieve energy self-sufficiency.

It said that even with increased domestic production, the U.S. is projected to face a supply gap of 2.4 million bpd, which Canada could fill.

—GARY PARK