Ecuador court gives green light for Silvercorp, Salazar’s El Domo project
The ruling removes the last major obstacle for the $250 million project, located 150 km northeast of Guayaquil.
The city of Burnaby continues to oppose Texas-based Kinder Morgan’s (NYSE:KMI) Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, threatening to withhold the city’s emergency services in the event of an oil spill.
Burnaby’s lawyer Greg McDade stated Trans Mountain has not consulted with the city’s fire, police, and emergency services, adding they may not be made available in the event of an oil spill in an information request to the pipeline last week.
“The project requires access to Burnaby services and assumes the support of its fire, police, and safety personnel…a project of this magnitude should not be imposed on a major municipality without the social licence from its citizens,” said McDade in the request.
Kinder Morgan made an application last December to the National Energy Board (NEB) to expand its Trans Mountain pipeline which flows from Edmonton, Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia to nearly triple the capacity.
Kinder Morgan, Trans Mountain expansion plan. Source: Kinder Morgan
If the proposal is approved, the expansion should be operational by late 2017.
The line provides the interior and southern coasts of British Columbia with 90% of its gas and is the only west coast pipeline for Canadian oil products. The expansion project would allow Canada to sell more crude to American and Asian markets.
The company also triggered heated reactions last May after stating oil spills could bring economic benefits.
Kinder Morgan is required to respond to the City of Burnaby’s information request by June 13.
