The Keystone XL Pipeline

Paridhi R.

Outline

Background Information • What is it?• Crude Oil• Construction• Stakeholders

The Big Issue

What is the Keystone?

Transports synthetic crude oil and “dilbit” from the tar oil sands

(Keystone pipeline, 2012)

Crude Oil

(What is crude oil and what is it used for?, 2004)

Tar Sands

Composed of Carbon-rich materials

Used for gasoline, etc.Canada is the world’s largest

bitumen depositor (Keystone XL is

Pipeline is Devastating to the Environment and Will Not Create Jobs, 2012.)

What is the Keystone XL?

Expansion of the Keystone From Alberta to TexasDestroy ecosystems and wildlifeProposed in 2008

Phases of the Pipelines

Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3Phase 4

Phase 1

The Keystone pipeline Already been

constructed (since 2010)

Phase 2

Expansion from Nebraska to Oklahoma

Constructed in 2011

Phase 3

Proposed expansion from Oklahoma to Texas

Phase 4

Proposed expansion from Alberta to Montana

The Route

Purpose of the XL

Transport crude oil and tar sands oil to the US

Construction?

Rumors say early 2013Rejected on January 18, 2012 Re-proposal

by TransCanada $7.0 billion+

(Keystone xl pipeline, 2011)

(Keystone xl pipeline, 2011)

Why was the project rejected?

Oil spill response plansSafetyGreen house gas concerns

Keystone pipeline, 2012)

Stakeholders

ObamaCanadian GovernmentConstruction workersUS citizensCanadian citizensTransCanada

TransCanada

Providers of gas/oil related storageResponsible for the North

American energy infrastructure Shareholder in, and own TC

PipeLines LP

(About us, 2009)

Review

36-inch, stretching 2000 miles

Through Canada to the USTar sands heated 150

degrees+Carry 900 000 barrels of crude

oil

(Brecher & Smith, n.d)

THE BIG QUESTION

What negative environmental

impacts will the Keystone XL

Pipeline cause?

Impacts

Pollutes:• Pipeline spills• Air • Water

Harms:• Wildlife

Pipeline Spills

Previous oil spills effect the permit of oil pipelines

Long-term damage to the economy and ecosystem

Air Pollution

Harmful to the air we breatheConstruction of pipeline causes

general pollutionHigher

Carbon emissions

Water Pollution

Ogallala AquiferSeparating crude

oil from sand, silt and clay

Using 400 million gallons of water per day

Tailing ponds

Harming Wildlife

Toxic sludge gets into waterwaysCO2 emissions melting ice capsSpills coat animals in oil

(Animals | oil sands truth, n.d.)

Canadian Government

Approve of the Keystone XL“Better for the economy.” (Savage, 2012)

US Government

Feel that it should be constructed

Solutions

Recovering alternative oil sourcesKeep protesting

(Worthington, 2012)

Conclusion

Produce 1 barrel of crude oil:• Extracting 4 tons of Earth• Contaminating millions of barrels of fresh

water• Burning natural gas• Creating tailing ponds

Is it worth

it?