Enbridge’s Line 3 replacement enters final stretch

The Canadian company is edging closer to startup on its long overdue pipeline project, but several potential hurdles still lie ahead

Calgary-based midstream company Enbridge is finally preparing to bring its Line 3 replacement oil pipeline from Alberta to Wisconsin online following years of delays and regulatory and legal obstacles. The project is significant as it is the first cross-border pipeline between Canada and the US in years, as well as the first major oil sands pipeline in some time. The replacement will restore the route to its original design capacity of 760,000bl/d after years of operating at half-capacity due to safety concerns. Major pipeline projects in North America have increasingly become targets of local and environmental opposition, but as the Line 3 replacement edges towards startup the likelihood of