Pipeline will bring jobs, revenue to Pineywoods

Tag : pipeline construction
Pipeline will bring jobs, revenue to Pineywoods
27.3 miles of line will run through Angelina County

By EDWIN QUARLES
The Lufkin Daily News

Sunday, June 29, 2008
The Keystone XL Pipeline Project that will complement the existingKeystone Pipeline is scheduled to begin construction in 2010 andwill include 27.3 miles of pipeline in Angelina County.
TransCanada, a pipeline construction company, is working withConocoPhillips to create the pipeline, which will stretch fromAlberta, Canada, to Port Arthur.
The company held a public meeting in Lufkin June 19 to provideinformation to the public and businesses.
The pipeline is scheduled to come into Angelina County near Wellsand continue to south of Diboll, according to Angelina County JudgeWes Suiter, It is scheduled to follow the existing footprint oflines already in place.
"They have started to contact landowners about acquiringright-of-way," Suiter said. "They are trying to be friendly andgood neighbors and they've been very up front about the projectthat is planned."
Project director Glen Johnston said the project path will require50 feet of land, plus an additional 60 feet for work space.
There is an existing line that starts in Alberta and extends toCushing, Okla. The new 36-inch pipeline will use a portion of thatone, then extending from Oklahoma to the Texas coast, according toa press release.
"We've got to have a source to get more oil to the refineries anddo it in the most advantageous way," Suiter said. "It could be apositive thing for us here in Angelina County and our state. If youcan't get oil to the refineries, they can't do much good."
Six pump stations are scheduled to be added in Texas, with one nearWells, Suiter said.
The pipeline will initially transport approximately 700,000 barrelsof crude oil per day, but may expand to as many as 900,000 barrelsa day with the addition of the pump stations, according to therelease.
TransCanada's project timeline has construction set to begin in2010 after receiving permits, which are anticipated in the firstand second quarters of that year.
Johnston said the project will bring about 500 construction jobsand will also generate $748,000 in property taxes. There may besome job opportunities for locals, he said.
"The job opportunities and the amount of revenue are still to bedetermined, and it's speculation at this point," Suiter said.