Update on Keystone XL in Montana; Montana Approves Pipeline To Nowhere

Updates

December 17, 2012: Montana approves pipeline to nowhere.

Montana on Monday approved easements to let the Keystone XL pipeline cross state-owned land, including the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers. 

The Land Board, chaired by Gov. Brian Schweitzer, running his last meeting before leaving office, sold the package of 50-year easements to TransCanada for $741,000. The board also finalized approval for land leases for the completion of the Montana-Alberta Tie Line.

Original Post

Nice map of where the Keystone XL will go through Montana. Does not go through North Dakota, and actually misses the state by quite some distance, except in the far southwest corner.

Unless there is "twinning," no Bakken oil is going to go in that heavy oil sands pipeline. Just saying.

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Added later: The most definitive layperson's description of the Keystone XL mentions a single pipeline; there is no mention of "twinning." But this is a layperson's description; without technical details I do not know if there will be two pipelines. I am quite sure that in the original plans there was no "second" pipeline for light sweet crude. So, we'll see. I am still looking for a source to answer the question.

Added later: In addition, a cursory review of the description of the pipeline provided by TransCanada says nothing about a second pipeline to carry light sweet Bakken crude oil, including the official document describing the pipeline. 

Added later: In addition, a landowner in Texas recently sued to stop the construction of the pipeline across his Texas property because the easement permit was for a crude oil pipeline, not a bitumen pipeline. The court stopped construction for a short period, but then allowed construction to continue. There was no mention of a second pipeline.

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A reader provides these links regarding the Keystone: I see no reference to a dual pipe.

Here is the Seeking Alpha article on the Bakken on ramp, http://seekingalpha.com/article/321263-the-bakken-oilfield-transcanada-keystone-xl-project-may-bypass-federal-review

TransCanada documents related to the on ramp aka the Bakken Marketlink, http://www.transcanada.com/search_results.html?q=Bakken+on-ramp&x=0&y=0

If the link is not live by the time you get it, use “Marketlink” at the TransCanada website search engine, you will find 8 documents including the note from Governor Brian Schweitzer and Senator Max Baucus.

Links to good route maps at TransCanada’s web site, http://www.transcanada.com/5730.html

KeystoneXL project e-mail address, http://www.transcanada.com/5736.html