Fort McMurray to Sherwood Park pipeline approved

The Energy Resources Conservation Board has approved Enbridge Inc. applications to construct and operate two pump stations and a pipeline that would transport diluted bitumen from Fort McMurray to Sherwood Park. The proposed pipeline route generally parallels several existing pipelines and is approximately 385 km in length. It is proposed to transport an initial capacity of 400,000 barrels per day of diluted bitumen containing no hydrogen sulphide. A number of parties objected to the applications, but Enbridge altered the proposed route of the pipeline and several landowners withdrew their objections. All objections were resolved as of the beginning of the hearing, except one, from a party whose land had been included on the originally proposed route. The ERCB held a hearing June 18-19 in Edmonton to consider the applications.