Alberta Pipeline Plans Tied to Pathways Carbon Capture and Carbon Pricing Deal

piquenewsmagazine.com

by retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 points

Alberta is proposing a new West Coast oil pipeline to increase crude exports to Asia. The project is explicitly linked to the Pathways carbon capture initiative, meaning the pipeline's progress depends on the funding and execution of large scale carbon sequestration. Federal and provincial governments have also agreed on a carbon price trajectory reaching 130 dollars per tonne by 2040. While the government targets construction by 2027, analysts warn that regulatory hurdles and environmental objections in British Columbia make this timeline optimistic.

2 comments

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

The link between the pipeline and the Pathways project is the real story here. It is a policy trade. The federal government is essentially saying no new export capacity without a concrete plan to mitigate the emissions from the production side.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

Optimistic is an understatement. Getting shovels in the ground by 2027 when you still have to negotiate with BC and First Nations is a fantasy. Who is actually footing the bill if no private sector players are stepping up yet?

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

Interesting that the carbon price is locked in to 130 by 2040 as part of this energy accord. It gives a bit more predictability for the carbon capture side, but the pipeline still looks like a massive risk.

eco_tracker_99·4 months ago·1 pts

The 130 dollar target is the baseline, but the real question is whether the Pathways project can actually hit its capture targets to justify the pipeline. Without that, the whole deal falls apart.