The completion of this $2.3bn crude oil pipeline provides a safe and direct connection between the important oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma and delivery points on the US Gulf Coast.
"This is a very important milestone for TransCanada, our shippers and Gulf Coast refiners who have been waiting for a pipeline to supply oil directly from Cushing," said Russ Girling, president and chief executive officer.
"This project is a critical, modern piece of American energy infrastructure that allows producers to safely connect growing production with the world’s most efficient refiners on the U.S. Gulf Coast. It also provides those American refineries the opportunity to use more of the crude oil produced in both Canada and the United States for decades to come."
The Gulf Coast Project is a 487-mile (780-kilometer), 36-inch crude oil pipeline beginning in Cushing, Oklahoma, and extending south to Nederland, Texas, to serve the Gulf Coast marketplace.
The Gulf Coast Project will have the initial capacity to transport up to 700,000 barrels of oil per day with the potential to transport up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day to Gulf Coast refineries.
TransCanada is currently projecting pipeline capacity of 520,000 barrels per day for the first year of operation.
The 48-mile (77-kilometer), Houston Lateral Project is an additional project under development to transport crude oil to refineries in the Houston area. All permissions necessary to the project are in place and construction is underway on the project.
