A proposed oil pipeline project will have the capacity to transport thounsands of barrels of crude oil to refineries in Oklahoma, Illinois, and the Gulf Coast of Texas. The Keystone XL is a 1,711-mile pipeline delivering Canadian crude oil to United States oil markets. This project is a response to the market demand for heavy crude oil in the Unites States. The pipeline will also be used to transport crude oil to the Cushing tank farm in the Midwest region. Many refineries in the Gulf Coast region provide millions of barrels per day, This region accounts for almost half of U.S. refining capacity. The refineries produce large amounts of refined petroleum product, like gasoline and jet fuel. The negative impacts of the Keystone XL project are too immense to outweigh the need for heavy crude oil in the United States. The Keystone XL pipeline is a possible opportunity for the United States to bring oil to the country without relying on the Middle Eastern countries. The construction of this pipeline would be in response to strong demand of crude oil in out Gulf Coast region, as a result of declining oil feeds from foreign countries. The process of approving the pipeline, beginning in 2008, has been very controversial. Those who approve of the pipeline tend to focus on its economic benefits, while those who oppose it are focusing on the ways it can be detrimental to our environment. TransCanada is the corporation who wants to build the pipeline, they are resposible for building and developing safe energy infrastructires thorughout North America. In addition to importing crude oil from Canada, TransCanada believes, “the Keystone XL Pipeline will also support the significant growth of crude oil production in the United States from producers in the Bakken region of Montana and North Dakota” (“About the”). The process for constructing this pipeline has been a long road, for both sides of the issue. The application was first submitted and
Cited: “Environmental Impact of the Keystone XL Project.” Congressional Digest, Dec. 2011: p296-320