Keystone XL Rates, Rules, Regulations Now in Effect

DALLAS — Rates, rules, and regulations for the $2.3 billion Keystone XL pipeline are in effect as of Jan. 3 for transportation services to the Texas Gulf Coast. The pipeline will have an initial capacity of moving 700,000 barrels of oil per day. Supply analyst Mark Andrewlee with TAC Energy says in light of recent problems, the pipeline will play a crucial role in oil distribution in 2014. He says, “That’s a major, major issue for consumers going into this next year. We’ve just seen three really kind of devastating train derailments. The lack of that pipeline causes more crude to have to go by rail.” TransCanada Corp. expects to begin shipping oil on Jan. 22. The pipeline runs through much of East Texas, including eastern Smith County.