Keystone pipeline opponents worry the project could change hands

A yard in Gascoyne, ND., which has hundreds of kilometres of pipes stacked inside it that are supposed to go into the Keystone XL pipeline, should it ever be approved are shown shown on Wednesday April 22, 2015. U.S. President Donald Trump has given TransCanada Corp. their long awaited presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, but analysts still aren't counting on it getting built. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alex Panetta

During the first day of hearings for the controversial Keystone pipeline in Nebraska, the possibility arose that TransCanada Corp. could one day sell off the pipeline, and that’s sparked concern among opponents.

Monday morning, a lawyer representing Nebraskan landowners asked if the Calgary-based company has any plans to sell.

The TransCanada representative declined to comment.

There is reason to believe that the company may in the future sell off the pipeline, says Mike Hudema, a Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner.

“When you look at the economics of tarsands production what we’re seeing is more and more companies starting to sell of their assets,” he says. “We’re seeing more and more companies abandon future expansion plans.”

Oilsands developers have abandoned nearly one million hectares of exploration leases in northern Alberta over the past two years.

“So if TransCanada does get approval to build its pipeline, and it doesn’t have suppliers to fill it, will it sell it to another company?” asks Hudema.

If it did, Hudema says that would introduce new risks, which the public deserves to know more about during this decision-making process.

“Track records vary greatly between different companies,” he says.

TransCanada Corp. has not yet responded to our call for comment.

If approved, the pipeline would ship 830,000 barrels per day of Alberta crude through Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

Nebraska is the only state that has not yet approved the project.

Local newspapers report that more than 500 protesters marched in front of the state Capitol on Sunday night.

This week’s hearings will end on Friday, and the Nebraskan regulators are expected to announce their decision in November.