Following this expansion, the capacity of the pipeline will be 430,000bpd, depending on crude slate.
The project, which is expected to be in service in the third quarter of 2013, will cost approximately $185m.
Enbridge said that the pipeline expansion is to accommodate recent shipping commitments by the Christina Lake oil sands project operated by oil company Cenovus.
Enbridge executive vice president of liquids pipelines Stephen Wuori said that the Athabasca pipeline can be expanded to as much as 570,000bpd, and depending on the needs of other shippers, the company may revise the scope of this expansion upward prior to regulatory filing.
