Pipelines and oil - Canadian crude will get out

I previously posted an article about the intersection of oil and politics and wanted to update you on one of my statements

Obama may feel the need to stop this project for political purposes but all he will succeed in doing is building more pipelines in Canada going east and west and sending that oil to Asia.  

Kinder Morgan, a large pipeline / energy company in North America is seeking firm commitments from oil shippers to expand their Trans Mountain Pipeline to the Canadian West Coast.  From Alberta Oil Magazine

Kinder Morgan Canada said yesterday it would extend an open season as it seeks firm commitments from shippers for an expansion to its Trans Mountain pipeline to Canada’s West Coast. The Canadian arm of Dallas-based Kinder Morgan aims to double capacity on the Pacific-bound line, from 300,000 to 600,000 barrels per day. Among other products, the $3.8-billion expansion would carry additional volumes of oil sands to a port at Burnaby, British Columbia, for export to Asia-Pacific markets and the West Coast of the United States.

The expanded oil production in Canada and the Midwest is creating a localized glut of oil and various companies are capitalizing on this price differential.

Western Canada Price Differential
Source: Bloomberg

While there are quality differences between these two benchmarks one can see how the spread has widened recently.

Regardless of the decision on the Keystone pipeline, Canadian oil will (eventually) get out to the worldwide marketplace.

Additional reading:
http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2012/04/u-s-pipeline-constraints-weigh-on-canadian-crude-prices/