Minister Rickford: New Oil Pipeline Projects Mark Significant Milestone in Canada's Contribution to Energy Security

FREEPORT, TX, Jan. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today delivered remarks during a ceremony in Freeport, Texas, marking the completion of the Seaway and Flanagan South Pipelines. Minister Rickford attended the ceremony with Jim Prentice, Premier of Alberta.

Minister Rickford highlighted the importance of working together to enhance North American energy security and its benefits for our respective economies and global competitiveness. These pipelines will have the ability to move approximately 600,000 barrels per day into the Gulf coast, from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota and Montana.

It is estimated the completion of these pipelines is expected to help double the amount of Canadian oil supplied to the United States Gulf Coast each day — from just over 200,000 barrels per day currently, to more than 400,000 barrels per day during the next year. The Canadian heavy oil moving through these pipelines is expected to help replace heavy oil currently imported by the U.S. from Venezuela and the Middle East.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that the U.S. will need to import almost 8 million barrels of oil per day by 2040 – up from 7.5 million barrels today. Late last year, Canadian oil exports to the U.S. were estimated to have surpassed 3 million barrels per day for the first time ever, more than Saudi Arabia and Venezuela combined.

The recently reversed Seaway Pipeline runs from Cushing, Illinois to Freeport, Texas. The new Flanagan South Pipeline, which has recently come into service, runs from Pontiac, Illinois to Cushing, Oklahoma. Minister Rickford noted in his speech today that it has been one year since the southern link of the Keystone XL pipeline has been in service.

Quick Facts

• In 2013, Canada–U.S. energy trade was worth US $140 billion.
• Approximately 2,000 U.S. companies have contracts to supply goods and services to the oil sands.
• There are 70 pipelines delivering oil and gas across the Canada–U.S. border every day —safely and reliably.
• Canada benefits from one of the cleanest electricity mixes in the world, with 65 percent generated from renewable sources — the highest level in the G7.

Quotes

"Our government welcomes today's latest milestone contributing to already historic volumes of Canadian energy being supplied to the United States. Indeed, both Canada and the United States have dramatically reduced oil imports from offshore, while our oil imports from each other are at record highs. Projects like these contribute to North American energy security and economic growth in both countries. "

The Honourable Greg Rickford,
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources

Associated Links

Government of Canada Takes Action – Safeguarding Canada's Environment http://gowithcanada.ca/environment/49

Responsible Resource Development http://eap.gc.ca/en/content/r2d-dr2

Pipeline Facts - http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/infrastructure/13751

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Image with caption: "Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, celebrates the completion of the Seaway and Flanagan South Pipelines which is expected to double the amount of Canadian crude supplied to the United States Gulf Coast in Freeport, Texas, on Friday, January 16, 2015 (CNW Group/Natural Resources Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150116_C8984_PHOTO_EN_10308.jpg

Chris McCluskey, Communications Director, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-996-2007; Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 613-992-4447; The general public may contact: Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EST, Telephone: [phone], TTY: 613-996-4397, (teletype for the hearing-impaired), E-mail: [email protected],