The Trans Mountain Pipeline has the distinction of being both North America’s only pipeline with access to the West Coast and that carries refined product and crude oil in batches.
The system begins in Edmonton and has terminals in BC and Washington (WA) state. Each year, the volume of product shipped to each destination varies, depending on market conditions and demand.
At the Sumas delivery point in Abbotsford, BC, the Trans Mountain Pipeline connects with the Trans Mountain Puget Sound Pipeline, a system that has been shipping Canadian crude oil products since 1954 to Washington state refineries in Anacortes, Cherry Point and Ferndale for processing.
Washington state remains unconnected to Midwest pipeline networks, and relies on oil trains, oil tankers and our pipeline to supply its refineries.
The Trans Mountain Puget Sound Pipeline is a 111-kilometre (69-mile) pipeline system made up of 16- to 20-inch pipe and has the capacity for up to about 240,000 bpd (28,600 m3 per day) depending on petroleum types transported and the balance of deliveries between the two destinations – Anacortes and Ferndale.
Our 2018 product destination numbers show 53 per cent of the product in the pipeline was shipped to Puget Sound last year to serve four refineries in Washington state.
Demand for the Trans Mountain pipeline continues to be strong and the current capacity is insufficient to meet the needs of shippers. Average apportionment for the Trans Mountain Pipeline system was 40 per cent for 2018, higher than 2016 and 2017 combined. Apportionment describes the amount of demand shippers place on the pipeline in excess of its available capacity.
