CALGARY, Alberta, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Kinder Morgan Inc (N:KMI)
KMI.N filed its final written argument for the Trans Mountain
crude oil pipeline expansion project with Canadian regulators on
Tuesday, in a bid to gain approval for shipping more oil sands
crude to the Pacific Coast.
The pipeline currently ships 300,000 barrels per day (bpd)
of crude from Edmonton, Alberta, to Burnaby, British Columbia.
The proposed expansion will nearly treble capacity to 890,000
bpd, providing more access to Asian markets.
Environmental groups, aboriginal groups and local landowners
in British Columbia have mounted fierce opposition to the
project, and are fighting to block the expansion.
Many pipeline opposition groups have been emboldened by U.S.
President Barack Obama's rejection earlier this year of
TransCanada Corp 's TRP.TO cross-border Keystone XL pipeline,
and are seeking to stall other proposed export
routes.
Kinder Morgan first filed its facilities application with
Canada's National Energy Board in December 2013, but was
required to file replacement evidence for a 64-page report
prepared by a consultant who was later appointed to the NEB.
Lawyers for the pipeline will deliver their oral summary of
the final argument to the National Energy Board in Calgary on
Thursday.