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TC Energy
Company typePublic
IndustryOil and gas
Electricity
Founded1951
HeadquartersTransCanada Tower,
Calgary, Alberta
,
Canada
Area served
Key people
Russ Girling, President and CEO
Services
RevenueIncrease C$13.68 billion (2018)[1]
Increase C$3.54 billion (2018)[1]
Total assetsIncrease C$98.92 billion (2018)[1]
Total equityIncrease C$25.36 billion (2018)[1]
Number of employees
7,200[2]
Websitetranscanada.com

TC energy is a major North American energy company, based in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada, that develops and operates energy infrastructure in North America. The company operates three core businesses: Natural Gas Pipelines, Liquids Pipelines and Energy.

The Natural Gas Pipeline network includes 91,900 kilometres (57,104 miles) of gas pipeline which transports more than 25% of North American natural gas demand. The Liquids Pipelines division includes 4,900 kilometres (3,045 miles) of oil pipeline, which ships 555,000 barrels of crude oil per day, which is about 20% of Western Canadian exports. The Energy division owns or has interests in 11 power generation facilities with combined capacity of 6,100 megawatts (MW). These power sources include nuclear and natural gas fired.[1]

TransCanada Tower, company head office in Calgary

TC Energy is the largest shareholder in, and owns the general partner of, TC PipeLines. The company was founded in 1951 in Calgary.[3]

History

The company was incorporated in 1951 by a Special Act of Parliament as Trans-Canada Pipe Lines Limited.[4] The purpose of the company was to develop the TransCanada pipeline (now known as the Canadian Mainline), to supply Eastern Canadian markets with natural gas produced in the west.

Seeking to expand its presence in the United States, in 2016 TransCanada acquired Columbia Pipeline Group for US$13 billion. The Columbia acquisition added a pipeline network in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, where the Marcellus and Utica shale gas formations are located.[5]

In 2019 the company changed its name from TransCanada Corporation to TC Energy to better reflect the company's business, which includes pipelines, power generation and energy storage operations in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Operations

Natural gas pipelines

TC Energy's natural gas pipelines business builds, owns and operates a network of natural gas pipelines across North America that connects gas production to interconnects and end use markets. The company transports over 25% of continental daily natural gas demand through 91,900 km (57,100 mi) of pipelines. In addition, the company owns 535 Bcf of natural gas storage facilities, making TC Energy one of the largest natural gas storage providers in North America. This segment is TC Energy's largest segment, generating approximately two-thirds of the company's EBITDA in 2017. The Natural Gas Pipelines business is split into three operating segments: Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines, U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines, and Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines.[1]

The major pipeline systems include:

  • NGTL System (24,320 km) The natural gas gathering system for the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, which connects most of the natural gas production in western Canada to domestic and export markets. TC Energy has the largest and most extensive natural gas network in Alberta.[6]
  • Canadian Mainline (14,077 km) this pipeline serves as a long haul delivery system transporting natural gas from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin across Canada to Ontario and Québec to deliver gas to downstream Canadian and U.S. markets. The pipeline has evolved accommodate additional supply connections closer to its markets. The mainline is over 60 years old [7]
  • Columbia Gas (18,113 km) This natural gas transportation system serves the Appalachian Basin, which contains the Marcellus and Utica plays, two of the largest natural gas shale plays in North America. The system also interconnects with other pipelines that provide access to the U.S. Northeast and the Gulf of Mexico.
  • ANR Pipeline System (15,109 km) This pipeline system connects supply basins and markets throughout the U.S. Midwest, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. This includes connecting supply in Texas, Oklahoma, the Appalachian Basin and the Gulf of Mexico to markets in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. In addition, ANR has bi-directional capability on its Southeast Mainline and delivers gas produced from the Appalachian basin to customers throughout the Gulf Coast Region.
  • Columbia Gulf (5,377 km) – This pipeline system was originally designed as a long haul delivery system transporting supply from the Gulf of Mexico to major demand markets in the U.S. Northeast. The pipeline is now transitioning to a north-to-south flow and expanding to accommodate new supply in the Appalachian Basin and its interconnects with Columbia Gas and other pipelines to deliver gas to various Gulf Coast markets.
  • Mexico Pipeline Network (1,680 km) – This consists of a growing network of natural gas pipelines in Mexico.

Projects in development include:

Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project – In June 2012 it was announced that TransCanada was selected by Shell and LNG Canada partners Korea Gas Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and PetroChina Company Limited (to which Petronas of Malaysia was added in 2018) to design, build, own and operate[8] the Coastal GasLink pipeline between northeastern B.C. gas fields near Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and the LNG Canada LNG liquefaction, storage and export facility in the port of Kitimat, on the Douglas Channel.[9][10][11][12] The investment and construction decisions for the LNG Canada and Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project were officially confirmed early October 2018, for completion by 2024-2025. However hereditary chiefs of the Unist'ot'en [13] who control unceded land on part of the proposed route have said no to all pipelines.

Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project – In January 2013 it was announced that TransCanada was selected by Petronas to design, build, own, and operate[14] the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project, a gas pipeline that would transport natural gas from the Montney region near Fort St. John, British Columbia to a LNG terminal planned by Progress Energy Canada Ltd. in Port Edward, British Columbia on Lelu Island near Prince Rupert, British Columbia.[15] The project faced opposition from the Gitxsan first nation due to concerns about the impact it would have on salmon in the Skeena River. On July 25, 2017, Petronas announced they were abandoning the Pacific NorthWest LNG proposal and TransCanada said they were "reviewing our options related to our proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) project".[16]

Liquids pipelines

TC Energy's Liquids pipelines connect Alberta crude oil supplies to U.S. refining markets.[1]

  • Keystone Pipeline System (4,324 km) The pipeline system transports crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta, to U.S. markets at Wood River and Patoka, Illinois, Cushing, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. The Keystone System transports approximately 20% of Western Canadian crude oil to export markets.
  • Keystone XL (1,906 km) The proposed pipeline will transport crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta to Steele City, Nebraska, to expand capacity of the Keystone Pipeline System. In 2017, President Donald Trump granted a U.S. Presidential Permit, TransCanada received approval for a Nebraska pipeline route and secured sufficient commercial support to commence construction preparation for the Keystone XL project. The company expects to begin construction in 2019.[17]
  • Grand Rapids (460 km) Transports crude oil from the producing area northwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, to the Edmonton/Heartland, Alberta market region. In October 2012, TransCanada formed a 50–50 CAD$3bn joint-venture with Phoenix Energy Holdings Ltd. (the Canadian subsidiary of PetroChina) to develop the 500 km Grand Rapids Pipeline.[18]

Energy

Bruce Nuclear Generating Station

TC Energy's Energy division consists of power generation and unregulated natural gas storage assets. The power business consists of approximately 7,000 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity owned or under development. These assets are located primarily in Canada and are powered by natural gas, nuclear, and wind.[1]

  • Western Power These assets include approximately 1,000 MW of power generation capacity through four natural gas-fired cogeneration facilities in Alberta and one in Arizona.
  • Eastern Power These assets include approximately 2,900 MW of power generation capacity in Eastern Canada.
  • Bruce Power This operates the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario. Comprising eight nuclear units with a combined capacity of approximately 6,400 MW, it is currently the largest operating nuclear power plant in the world. TC Energy holds a 48.4% interest in the asset.

Criticism

Keystone XL Pipeline

Main article: Keystone XL Pipeline

TC Energy first proposed the Keystone XL pipeline in 2008.[19] The proposal faced widespread grassroots opposition with tactics including tree sits in the path of the pipeline[20] and civil disobedience by celebrities.[21]

The Keystone XL Pipeline would transport 830,000 barrels of oil per day from the Athabasca oil sands to Steele City, Nebraska, upon completion. Critics[who?] state that by developing the oil sands, fossil fuels will be readily available and the trend toward warming of the atmosphere won't be curbed.[citation needed] The fate of the pipeline is therefore held up as symbolic of America's energy future.[22] Critics[who?] have raised concerns about the risks of spillage, as the Sandhills region of Nebraska is a fragile ecosystem.[citation needed]

After four years of organizing by those opposed to the Keystone XL, the administration of U.S. President Obama rejected the pipeline on November 3, 2015.[23][24] Early in his tenure in 2017, President Donald Trump signed presidential memoranda to revive both Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. The order would expedite the environmental review that Trump described as an "incredibly cumbersome, long, horrible permitting process".[25] Subsequently, Donald Trump signed a presidential permit to allow TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline on March 24, 2017.[26]

This action by Trump inspired another wave of protests and rallies against the pipeline.[27]

Use of eminent domain

In October 2011, TransCanada was involved in up to 56 separate eminent domain actions against landowners in Texas and South Dakota who refused to give permission to the company to build the Keystone Pipeline through their land.[28] However, on August 23, 2012, Texas Judge Bill Harris ruled that TransCanada had the right of eminent domain and could lease or purchase land from owners who refused to sign an agreement with the company for a public right of way for the pipeline.[citation needed] The landowners had said that the pipeline was not open to other companies, and so did not meet the criteria for eminent domain.[29]

Spills

The Keystone Pipeline has had three significant leaks since it opened in 2010. It has leaked approximately 400 barrels in North Dakota in 2011 and South Dakota in 2016, and approximately 5000 barrels in South Dakota in 2017.[30]

Marshall County, South Dakota leak 2017

On November 16, 2017, oil leaked from the pipeline in Marshall County, South Dakota, for 15 minutes before the flow of oil could be stopped. The company reported the amount as over 210,000 gallons.[31] TransCanada reported it discovered the leak in Amherst, South Dakota, at 6 am on Thursday after systems detected a drop in pressure in the northern leg of the pipeline.[32] The leak was discovered about 35 miles south of the Ludden pump station.[33]

In April 2018, a federal investigation showed that the spill was almost twice as large as TransCanada had claimed in November, and that it was the seventh-largest onshore oil spill since 2002. The study showed that 407,000 gallons, not 210,000 gallons, had spilled.[34] Also in April 2018, Reuters reviewed documents that showed that Keystone had "leaked substantially more oil, and more often, in the United States than the company indicated to regulators in risk assessments before operations began in 2010".[35]

Operational projects

Operational natural gas pipelines

Name Country Length TransCanada's participation Description
NGTL System Canada 24,320 km (15,112 mi) 100 Receives, transports and delivers natural gas within Alberta and B.C., and connects with the Canadian Mainline, Foothills system and third-party pipelines.
Canadian Mainline Canada 14,077 km (8,747 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from the Alberta/Saskatchewanborder and the Ontario/U.S. border to serve easternCanada and interconnects to the U.S.
Foothills Canada 1,241 km (771 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from central Alberta to the U.S. border for export to the U.S. Midwest, PacificNorthwest, California and Nevada
Trans Québec & Maritimes Canada 572 km (355 mi) 50 Connects with the Canadian Mainline near the Ontario/Québec border to transport natural gas to the Montréal to Québec City corridor, and interconnects with the Portland pipeline system that serves the northeast U.S.
Ventures LP Canada 161 km (100 mi) 100 Transports natural gas to the oil sands region near Fort McMurray, Alberta. It also includes a 27 km (17 mile) pipeline supplying natural gas to a petrochemical complex at Joffre, Alberta.
Great Lakes Canada Canada 58 km (36 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from the Great Lakes system in the U.S. to Ontario, near Dawn, through a connection at the U.S. border underneath the St. Clair River
ANR United States 15,109 km (9,388 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from various supply basins to markets throughout the Midwest and Gulf Coast.
Bison United States 488 km (303 mi) 25.7 Transports natural gas from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming to Northern Border in North Dakota.
Columbia Gas United States 18,113 km (11,255 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from supply primarily in the Appalachian Basin to markets throughout the U.S. Northeast.
Columbia Gulf United States 5,377 km (3,341 mi) 100 Transports natural gas to various markets and pipeline interconnects in the southern U.S. and Gulf Coast.
Crossroads United States 325 km (202 mi) 100 Interstate natural gas pipeline operating in Indiana and Ohio with multiple interconnects to other pipelines.
Gas Transmission Northwest United States 2,216 km (1,377 mi) 25.7 Transports WCSB and Rockies natural gas to Washington, Oregon and California. Connects with Tuscarora and Foothills.
Great Lakes United States 3,404 km (2,115 mi) 65.5 Connects with the Canadian Mainline near Emerson, Manitoba, and to Great Lakes Canada near St Clair, Ontario, plus interconnects with ANR at Crystal Falls and Farwell in Michigan, to transport natural gas to eastern Canada and the U.S. Upper Midwest
Iroquois United States 669 km (416 mi) 13.4 Connects with the Canadian Mainline and serves markets in New York.
Millennium United States 407 km (253 mi) 47.5 Natural gas pipeline supplied by local production, storage fields and interconnecting upstream pipelines to serve markets along its route and to the U.S. Northeast.
North Baja United States 138 km (86 mi) 25.7 Transports natural gas between Arizona and California, and connects with a third-party pipeline on the California/ Mexico border.
Northern Border United States 2,272 km (1,412 mi) 12.9 Transports WCSB, Bakken and Rockies natural gas from connections with Foothills and Bison to U.S. Midwest markets.
Portland United States 475 km (295 mi) 15.9 Connects with TQM near East Hereford, Québec to deliver natural gas to customers in the U.S. Northeast.
Tuscarora United States 491 km (305 mi) 25.7 Transports natural gas from GTN at Malin, Oregon to markets in northeastern California and northwestern Nevada.
Guadalajara Mexico 315 km (196 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from Manzanillo, Colima to Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Mazatlán Mexico 491 km (305 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from El Oro to Mazatlán, Sinaloa inMexico. Connects to the Topolobampo Pipeline at El Oro
Tamazunchale Mexico 375 km (233 mi) 100 Transports natural gas from Naranjos, Veracruz in east central Mexico to Tamazunchale, San Luis Potosí and on to El Sauz, Querétaro.
Topolobampo Mexico 560 km (348 mi) 100 Transports natural gas to Topolobampo, Sinaloa, from interconnects with third-party pipelines in El Oro, Sinaloa and El Encino, Chihuahua in Mexico

Operational liquids pipelines

Name Country Length TransCanada's participation Description
Keystone Pipeline System Canada 4,324 km (2,687 mi) 100 Transports crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta, to U.S. markets at Wood River and Patoka, Illinois, Cushing, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Marketlink Canada 100 Terminal and pipeline facilities to transport crude oil from the market hub at Cushing, Oklahoma to the U.S. Gulf Coast refining markets on facilities that form part of the Keystone Pipeline System.
Grand Rapids Canada 460 km (286 mi) 50 Transports crude oil from the producing area northwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, to the Edmonton/Heartland, Alberta, market region
Northern Courier Canada 90 km (56 mi) 100 Transports bitumen and diluent between the Fort Hills mine site and Suncor Energy's terminal located north of Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Operational power projects

Name Fuel Type Net Installed Capacity (MW) TransCanada's participation Description
Bear Creek Natural Gas 100 100 Cogeneration plant in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
Carseland Natural Gas 95 100 Cogeneration plant in Carseland, Alberta.
Mackay River Natural Gas 205 100 Cogeneration plant in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Redwater Natural Gas 46 100 Cogeneration plant in Redwater, Alberta.
Bécancour Natural Gas 550 100 Cogeneration plant in Trois-Rivières, Québec.
Grandview Natural Gas 90 100 Cogeneration plant in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Halton Hills Natural Gas 683 100 Combined-cycle plant in Halton Hills, Ontario.
Portlands Energy Natural Gas 275 50 Combined-cycle plant in Toronto, Ontario.
Bruce Power Nuclear 3099 48.4 Eight operating reactors in Tiverton, Ontario. Bruce Power leases the eight nuclear facilities from OPG.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h [1]
  2. ^ [2]
  3. ^ Kilbourn, William (1970). Pipeline: TransCanada and the Great Debate. p. 29.
  4. ^ "History of TRANSCANADA PIPELINES LIMITED – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  5. ^ "TransCanada Corp to overhaul its business in US$13B acquisition of Columbia Pipeline Group". Financial Post. 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  6. ^ Morgan, Geoffrey (November 1, 2017). "TransCanada rule change raises ire of producers: Firms say limited access to storage, price swings are cramping operations". Vancouver Sun. Financial Post. p. B1.
  7. ^ "TransCanada Canadian Mainline – Overview". www.transcanada.com.
  8. ^ "TransCanada Selected by Shell and Partners to Develop Multi-Billion Dollar Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada's West Coast" (news release). TransCanada. June 5, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  9. ^ Krugel, Lauren (January 9, 2013). "TransCanada to build $5-billion shale gas pipeline project near Prince Rupert" (blog). The Tyee. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  10. ^ "Home page". Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines Limited. Retrieved June 12, 2013. Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines Limited, proposes to develop a natural gas pipeline from northeast B.C. to the west coast of B.C. to serve export markets.
  11. ^ Coastal GasLink Pipeline project description
  12. ^ Nathan VanderKlippe (June 5, 2012). "TransCanada wins $4-billion pipeline contract". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  13. ^ http://unistoten.camp/no-pipelines/background-of-the-campaign/
  14. ^ "TransCanada Selected to Develop $6 Billion in Natural Gas Infrastructure to Prince Rupert, British Columbia" (news release). TransCanada. January 9, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  15. ^ Darren Campbell (January 9, 2013). "B.C. LNG exports take a step forward with TransCanada announcement: TCPL to build $5.1 billion pipeline that will feed coastal terminal". Alberta Oil Magazine. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  16. ^ "TransCanada Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project – Overview". www.transcanada.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  17. ^ "Keystone XL pipeline has strong commercial support, TransCanada says". CBC News. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  18. ^ Reuters staff. "${Instrument_CompanyName} ${Instrument_Ric} Key Developments". Reuters. Retrieved 6 October 2017. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ Hovey, Art (2008-06-12). "TransCanada Proposes Second Oil Pipeline". Lincoln Journal-Star. Downstream Today. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  20. ^ "Protesters in Texas climb trees to block pipeline work". Houston Chronicle. September 25, 2012.
  21. ^ "Daryl Hannah freed following arrest in pipeline protest". Chicago Sun-Times. Oct 6, 2012.
  22. ^ "Why is the Keystone XL pipeline so disputed?". BBC News. 2017. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  23. ^ Kerry, John. "Department of State: Record of Decision and National Interest Determination" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Whitehouse, Obama (6 November 2015). "Obama rejects TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline". Whitehouse. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  25. ^ Mufson, Steven (January 24, 2017). "Trump seeks to revive Dakota Access, Keystone XL oil pipelines". Washington Post. Washington, DC. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  26. ^ Jamieson, Amber; Vaughan, Adam (March 24, 2017). "Keystone XL: Trump issues permit to begin construction of pipeline". The Guardian. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  27. ^ "Keystone XL: Hundreds protest at White House, signalling upcoming pipeline fight". Calgary Herald. 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  28. ^ "Eminent Domain Fight Has a Canadian Twist". New York Times. Oct 17, 2011.
  29. ^ "Keystone pipeline clears a hurdle". Washington Post. Aug 22, 2012.
  30. ^ "Keystone's existing pipeline spills far more than predicted to..." Reuters. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  31. ^ "Crews cleaning up Keystone Pipeline leak in Marshall County". KSFY ABC. November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  32. ^ "TransCanada's Keystone pipeline shut after 5,000-barrel leak in U.S." Reuters. November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  33. ^ "Keystone Pipeline Leak: More Than 200,000 Gallons of Oil Spilled". Heavy.com. November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  34. ^ "The Keystone Pipeline oil spill was nearly twice as big as TransCanada said", Vice News, Sarah Sax, April 10, 2018
  35. ^ "Keystone pipeline leak in South Dakota about double previous estimate: paper", Reuters, April 7, 2018
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