Pipeline Capacity: For Those Keeping Track

A year ago, pipeline oil capacity in North Dakota was estimated to be 250,000 barrels/day. With the upgrades in the Enbridge system (+50,000 barrels) and the addition of the EOG Stanley railroad terminal (+60,000 barrels/unit train/day) at the end of 2009, the estimated capacity to ship oil was increased by 110,000 barrels/day, which would be 360,000 barrels/day.

With the announcement yesterday that an additional railroad terminal will be operational in the Dickinson area in October, 2010, estimated capacity to ship oil out of North Dakota should be 420,000 barrels/day.

Unlike pipelines, the railroad tankers are scalable. The tracks aren't scalable, but the number of unit trains are.

(Note: a few days from now the link above will be broken/lost due to the source. But I am sure you will be able to google another source for the story.)

(Note: as long as we're talking "pipeline capacity," here's an update on the TransCanada pipeline slated to go through Montana.  Although the pipeline is not currently routed to go through North Dakota, oil from that state could easily be shunted to Montana to join the TransCanada pipeline.)