Pipelines can be a controversial topic in Canada. While here in Alberta, most people understand that pipelines are an important and perhaps necessary part of our economy. Across the mountain in BC and out east, feelings towards the oil and gas industry can be less friendly. But with the economic downturn that Alberta has been facing for the last couple years, the Liberal’s approval of the Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline and Enbridge’s Line 3 was very good news for Alberta and perhaps all of Canada.
Pipelines are Better than Trains.
What many Canadians may not realize is that oil and gas are being transported regardless. Tens of thousands of carloads of crude oil are transported everyday by train. And, while a world that is not dependent on fossil fuels is a wonderful goal to strive towards, at the moment coal, gas, and oil provide a vital energy source for people across the western world. The question isn’t if they’ll be using fossil fuels, the question is how will they be transported. While pipelines are the prefered method of moving oil, rail was and is frequently used to move it. Unfortunately, train oil spills release an average of 70,000 L of oil into the environment. In comparison, pipeline oil spills lose, on average, just over 12,000 L. That’s less than a fifth. Pipelines also transfer oil beneath the ground where weather conditions and traffic collisions cannot cause problems.
Pipelines are Better for the Economy.
Shipping oil by train is more expensive than moving it through a pipeline. This means oil shipped by train is more expensive for consumers. You can see this added cost at the pumps and in your utility bill. Transporting oil through pipelines should effectively half the shipping costs from $15-$20 per barrel down to $7-$10.
Pipelines Create Work.
Alberta’s economy still hasn’t recovered from the oil crash, so projects like this are important in creating jobs, confidence, and growing the economy. While much of Canada is beginning to feel more confident in the economy, Albertans are still feeling cautious and anxious. We’re hopeful that these pipeline projects will help to give agency and financial confidence back to many tradespeople who were laid off and have been struggling. The team at WestCal will also be involved with the pipelines. We are helping to create insulation for the pipeline which will improve energy efficiency and safety. We’re proud to have our team working on these huge projects, and we’ll strive to do Alberta and all of Canada proud.
We understand that pipelines and oil and gas can be controversial subjects. We realize that some people question the long term value of these projects and question whether they’ll adversely affect the planet. But we think that many of the people who feel this way may have forgotten that there are thousands of people who are dependent on oil and gas to pay their bills and feed their families. As a nation we need to think about the future, but we also need to take care of our neighbours in the present, and that means making sure they have affordable energy to heat their homes, and they have jobs to buy groceries. Canada is made stronger by all of our diverse views and interests working together towards making a nation we all love. Let’s remember to have empathy for one another, and let’s take pride in these huge projects that we help create.
