Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Drives Record Oil Tanker Traffic in Burrard Inlet
The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has led to a record number of oil tanker arrivals in Burrard Inlet, Vancouver. According to data from SFU professor emeritus David Huntley, there were 31 tanker arrivals in July, exceeding the previous high.
Huntley's analysis shows that most of the heavy crude oil is being shipped to China and South Korea, followed by the US. The Trans Mountain twin pipelines can carry up to 890,000 barrels of oil a day, with access to 26 storage tanks holding 5.5 million barrels.
The Alberta government has proposed an expansion project that would see a new pipeline built alongside the existing two, with a marine terminal at Roberts Bank in Tsawwassen. This would allow for larger tankers to transport the oil, bypassing the Lions Gate and Second Narrows bridges.