In the same way a highway does not own the cars travelling on it, Trans Mountain does not own the product it transports.
The Trans Mountain Expansion Project is based on support from its customers — shippers who move products through the line to various markets. Thirteen significant participants in the Canadian producing and oil marketing business have signed binding 15 and 20-year contracts for additional capacity on the proposed expanded pipeline system to move their products, should the project be approved.
These companies include:
- BP Canada Energy Trading Company
- Canadian Natural Resources
- Canadian Oil Sands Limited
- Cenovus Energy Inc.
- Devon Canada Corporation
- Husky Energy Marketing Inc.
- Imperial Oil Limited
- Nexen Marketing Inc.
- Statoil Canada Ltd.
- Suncor Energy Marketing Inc.
- Suncor Energy Products Partnership
- Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company
- Total E&P Canada Ltd.
Contracts signed by these shippers state that approximately 710,000 barrels per day of capacity will be moved in support of expanding the pipeline system. Based on these finalized commitments, the proposed expansion would increase the nominal capacity on Trans Mountain from approximately 300,000 barrels per day to about 890,000 barrels per day.