A $9 billion oil pipeline was officially canceled on Wednesday. The pipeline became a symbol of the rising political influence of climate change advocates and a flashpoint in U.S.-Canada relations.
Keystone XL proposed in 2008 to send oil from Western Canada’s tar sands to U.S. refineries. However, after U.S. President Joe Biden revoked the essential permit required for the 1,200-mile project in the U.S. this year, its owner, T.C. Energy, called a cease.
Moreover, opponents of this route have struggled with its construction for years, saying it is unnecessary and will obstruct the U.S. transition to cleaner fuels. Its downfall comes when other North American oil pipelines face continued opposition from environmental groups. One of them is Dakota Access and Enbridge Line 3.
This is a landmark moment in tackling the climate crisis. Jared Margolis, a senior lawyer at the Center for Biodiversity, hopes that the Biden administration will continue to move the U.S. in the proper direction by countering fossil fuel projects.
The Keystone XL Pipeline Should Transport 830,000 Alberta Oil Sands Crude Oil to Nebraska a Day
Still, the project has been postponed in the past 12 years due to opposition from American landowners, Native American tribes, and environmentalists.
T.C. Energy owns the existing Keystone oil pipeline, which runs from Alberta to the oil storage center in Cushing, Oklahoma, to the U.S. Gulf, as well as power and storage operations. It promises to ensure the safe termination of the project.
However, some Project supporters remain disappointed and frustrated with the current status of the Keystone XL project, especially its cancellation decision.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump approved the route in 2017, but it continues to face legal challenges that hinder construction. Biden promised to cancel the project during the campaign and revoked the license shortly after taking office.
T.C. Energy returned to productivity in the first quarter of 2021, hit by the 2.2 billion Canadian dollars (1.81 billion U.S. dollars) damage charges linked to the interruption of Keystone XL.
