West River Oil Pipeline Plans
In a few weeks, TransCanada will begin construction on its Keystone pipeline in eastern South Dakota.
But Monday the Candadian company was busy talking with South Dakotans on the western side of the state about a second proposed crude oil pipeline called the Keystone XL. TransCanada says the second line is in response to the high demand for oil in the United States.
In the wide-open spaces of western South Dakota, it takes big bucks to fill up the big gas tanks of big rigs. And now a Canadian company is looking to put an oil pipeline in these wide open spaces West River.
Tripp County landowner Charles McCormick says, "I definitely think we need to get more oil in our country and if we have to get it out of Canada and get it south so they can process it I'm for that."
Monday in Winner, 60 people showed up to hear the proposed plans of an oil pipeline that could run through their land. Charles McCormick would have the 36 inch Keystone XL pipeline in his backyard.
McCormick says, "I have no problem with it as long as they do what they say they're going to do about putting back and replacing as much is natural. I have no problem crossing my land."
TransCanada just got approval three months ago to build the first Keystone project in eastern South Dakota and the company says the reason for a second pipeline so soon is because of the strong market for oil in the U.S.
Jeff Rauh of TransCanada says, "The combination of the two projects is reflective of the very very strong interest in the US of getting access to a stable, secure, long-term source of crude oil to help meet U.S. needs."
TransCanada officials say a second crude oil pipeline in western South Dakota could fill those needs.
Rauh says, "The Keystone XL pipeline would compliment the Keystone pipeline and provide another path for Canadian crude oil to help meet U.S. demands."
The Keystone XL would be almost twice as big as the original Keystone project, shipping 700 thousand barrels of oil to Houston, Texas, every day. TransCanada hopes to have the West River pipeline done by 2011.
