Capacity crunch
Canada’s oil sands need new pipelines to new markets
A build-up of oil-sands production without sufficient pipeline capacity to take all the new oil to consumers threatens the long-term viability of the developments, believes Alberta’s government. The province’s premier, Alison Redford, summed up the problem in a catch-phrase called the “bitumen bubble”, which has caught on in a general public concerned for the future viability of oil-sands exports. Her theory, shared by some analysts, is that rising output from the oil sands will by 2016 eclipse the pipeline capacity that links the projects with refiners. This would drive down the price of Canada’s oil, which would be heavily discounted against higher quality or more accessible oil closer to
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20 February 2026
The country is pushing to increase production and expand key projects despite challenges including OPEC+ discipline and the limitations of its export infrastructure
20 February 2026
Europe has transformed into a global LNG demand powerhouse over the last few years, with the fuel continuing to play a key role in safeguarding the continent’s energy security, Carsten Poppinga, chief commercial officer at Uniper, tells Petroleum Economist
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US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy has grown its business rapidly since exporting its first cargo a decade ago. But Chief Commercial Officer Anatol Feygin tells Petroleum Economist that, as in the past, the company’s future expansion plans are anchored by high levels of contracted offtake, supporting predictable returns on investment
