Express

Description

Section updated: October 2024

Disclaimer

The Pipeline Profiles interactive maps provide publicly accessible information about CER-regulated pipeline systems. These maps provide information about the pipeline systems we regulate and allow the user to zoom in and view nearby communities and other geographic features.

The information displayed on this map is not meant to be comprehensive, and some datasets have been filtered to show only the most relevant information. Please see the Interactive Pipeline Map to see a more comprehensive picture of CER-regulated pipelines.

This information is also not intended for locating pipelines for construction activities or any other soil disturbance in the area around a pipeline. Please check our Damage Prevention Website for information on where to Click Before you Dig.

Terms of Use

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) provides this information for personal and non-commercial uses. The information contained in this map is based on externally sourced information. The CER makes no representations regarding the accuracy of this information. The CER accepts no responsibility or liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions in the data and any loss, damage or costs incurred as a result of using or relying on the map data in any way.

The pipeline data contained in this map is subject to licensing terms and may not be reproduced, published, distributed or transferred in whole or in part. The map also contains information license under the Open Government License - Canada.

The Canadian Energy Regulator is bound by the Official Language Act and relevant Treasury Board policies. However, some material on these pages originates from organizations not subject to the Official Languages Act and is made available on this project page in the language in which it was written.

Sources and Description

Sources

The information contained in these maps is obtained from the following sources: Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) (Provincially Regulated Pipelines); CER, from various reports (Western Canada Sedimentary Basin); U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (U.S. Pipelines); Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) (The Community Map of Canada); Geomatics Data Management Inc. (GDM) (CER-regulated pipelines); Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada, and Surveyor General Branch (Indigenous Lands); Government of Canada: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (Modern and Historic Treaties); North American Cooperation on Energy Information (NACEI) (Refineries).

Description

This map shows the Express pipeline as well as CER-regulated crude oil pipelines, U.S. crude oil pipelines, and provincially regulated crude oil pipelines in Alberta. The Canadian portion of the Express Pipeline extends from Hardisty, Alberta to the Canada-U.S. border near Wild Horse, Alberta.

History

  • In 1995, Express Pipeline Ltd. applied to the National Energy Board (NEB) for approval of the Express Pipeline Project.
  • The NEB approved the project in 1996 [Folder 92310].
  • The Express pipeline commenced operations in 1997 at an initial capacity of 172,000 barrels per day.
  • The capacity was increased to approximately 280,000 barrels per day in 2005 with the construction of three new pump stations along the Canadian portion of the pipeline and two tanks at the Hardisty Terminal [Folder 307074].
  • The Express pipeline is one of the four major pipelines that transport crude oil from western Canada. The other pipelines are Enbridge Mainline, Trans Mountain, and Keystone.
  • The Express pipeline (also known as Line 40A) can export 310,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta, to Casper, Wyoming.
  • The pipeline crosses the Alberta-Montana international boundary near Wild Horse, Alberta.
  • The Canadian portion of the Express pipeline is approximately 440 km. The U.S. portion is approximately 830 km.

System Description

  • The Express pipeline transports light, medium, and heavy crude oil from western Canada to refineries in the U.S.
  • Express delivers into Montana and Wyoming and further connects with pipelines that can transport crude oil to various destinations, including Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Illinois and Oklahoma.
  • The Express pipeline has associated storage tank terminals located in Hardisty, Alberta, and in Buffalo and Edgar, Montana. The terminals have a total capacity of approximately 3 million barrels.
  • The storage facilities provide flexibility on shipment timing and product demand.
  • In May 2015, the NEB approved the construction of an additional storage tank in Hardisty, Alberta. It was placed into service on 1 October 2016 [Folder 2748208].
  • In Casper, Wyoming, the Express pipeline connects with Enbridge’s Platte Pipeline, which transports crude oil to refineries in the U.S. Midwest. The Platte pipeline terminates in Wood River, Illinois. Collectively, the system is known as the Express-Platte system.
  • The Platte pipeline transports crude oil from multiple production areas, including: the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (delivered via the Express pipeline interconnection); the Bakken; the Denver-Julesburg Basin; and the Powder River Basin.

Recent Projects

  • In 2020, the CER approved a project to expand the Express pipeline capacity from approximately 287,000 barrels per day to approximately 310,000 barrels per day. The project involved installing facilities at the Express Hardisty Terminal that inject a drag reducing agent into the pipeline.
  • The project was placed into service in 2020 [Folder 3890568].

Reconciliation Content

  • We recognize that all lands are the traditional and/or treaty territories of Indigenous Peoples, however, in this data set, only treaty lands are represented due to data availability.
  • For more information about how the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples in a region are defined, it is best to consult First Nation and Metis governments directly.
  • For more information about traditional territories and potential or established treaty rights, you may also consult the Aboriginal and Treaty Rights Information System.

Section updated: October 2024

Pipeline ownership
Pipeline name Express pipeline
CER-regulated company Express Pipeline Ltd.
Parent company Enbridge Inc.
Pipeline attributes
Group for financial regulationFootnote 1 Group 2
Commenced operations 1997
Location The Canadian portion of the Express pipeline extends from Hardisty, Alberta to the Canada-U.S. border near Wild Horse, Alberta.
CER-regulated pipeline length (km)Footnote 2 439 km
Transported commodity Light, medium, heavy and super-heavy crude oil
Pipeline capacity Approximately 310 thousand barrels per day (Mb/d)
Major interconnected pipelines Express pipeline (U.S. portion)

Section updated: October 2024

Markets

The Express Pipeline is one of the four major crude oil export pipelines that transport oil from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin to markets in Canada and the U.S. The other pipelines are the Enbridge Mainline, the Keystone pipeline, and the Trans Mountain pipeline

The Express Pipeline (also known as Line 40A) transports light, medium, and heavy crude oil from western Canada to refineries in the U.S. Rockies region. Express pipeline delivers into Montana and Wyoming and further connects with pipelines that can transport crude oil to various destinations, including Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Illinois and Oklahoma.

Transportation costs (tolls)

Section updated: August 2024

A toll is the price charged by a pipeline company for transportation and other services. Tolls allow pipeline companies to safely operate and maintain pipelines. Tolls also provide funds for companies to recover capital (the money used to build the pipeline), pay debts, and provide a return to investors. The interactive graph below shows the tolls on the pipeline since 2011.

Tolls on the Express pipeline are market-based and are not calculated on a cost-of-service basis. On the Express pipeline, committed service is offered for both local and cross-border shipments. Committed local tolls vary based on the term (five to nine years or ten or more years) of shippers’ commitments. Committed international joint tolls vary based on the term, type of petroleum, and the open season in which the shipper signed a Transportation Service Agreement. 

Uncommitted service is available for local shipments. Uncommitted local tolls vary based on the type of crude petroleum shipped.

Express Pipeline Ltd. is subject to Group 2 financial regulation. Accordingly, the tolls are regulated by the CER on a complaint basis.

Official CER documents related to the traffic, tolls and tariffs for the Express Pipeline are available: Express Pipeline Ltd. regulatory documents [Folder 172404].

Data Source and Description

Data Source: Open Government

Description: The above chart displays tolls data for the pipeline system.

Abandonment funding

Section updated: October 2024

The CER requires all pipeline companies to set aside funds to safely cease operation of their pipelines at the end of their useful lives. In 2011, Express Pipeline Ltd. estimated it would cost $44.3 million to do this for the Express Pipeline. In 2018, it updated this estimate to $99.3 million.  In 2024, this number was revised to $87 million. These funds are being collected and set aside in a trust. Collection period end date is December 31, 2054.

Table 1: Express Pipeline abandonment trust fund balance
  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Trust fund balance ($) 7,300,000 11,000,000 15,300,000 16,500,000 21,000,000

Official CER documents related to abandonment funding can be found here, sorted by year and by company: abandonment funding documents [Folder 3300366].

Financial information

Section updated: March 2025

The Canadian Energy Regulator Act requires oil pipeline companies to set aside funds to pay for the costs of any incident that occurs, such as a spill. See sections 136 to 142 of the Act for more information. Express Pipeline has demonstrated that it has financial resources in excess of $300 million. Official CER documents can be found here: Express Pipeline Ltd. financial resource requirements documents [Folder 2949289].

Safety and environment

Section updated: November 2024

Section updated quarterly (early March, mid-May, mid-August and mid-November)

Section updated: November 2024

Conditions Compliance

Every pipeline company in Canada must meet federal, provincial or territorial, and local requirements. This includes Acts, Regulations, rules, bylaws, and zoning restrictions. Pipelines are also bound by technical, safety, and environmental standards along with company rules, protocols and management systems. In addition to these requirements, the Commission may add conditions to regulatory instruments that each company must meet. Conditions are project-specific and are designed to protect public and the environment by reducing possible risks identified during the application process.

Condition compliance is part of the CER's oversight and enforcement action is taken when required.

Conditions can be related to a specific region, or apply to the pipeline project as a whole. The map below displays the number of in progress and closed conditions mapped to economic regions as defined by Statistics Canada.

Conditions can typically be either in-progress or closed. The CER follows up on in-progress conditions.

In-Progress

This status refers to conditions that continue to be monitored by the CER. This happens when:

  • condition filings have not yet been received by the CER; or,
  • filings have been received but are under review or do not yet meet requirements; or,
  • a project is not completed and it has conditions, which have not been met; or,
  • a project has a post-construction condition, but a requirement has not yet been completed; or,
  • some conditions may be active indefinitely or refer to the continued operation of a pipeline.
Closed

This status refers to:

  • condition requirements that have been satisfied, and no further submissions from the company are required; or
  • conditions whose filings or actions apply to a specific phase that have been fulfilled as the phase is completed (i.e. a specific filing during construction phase). Note: comments on the required actions can still be received.

Dashboard: Express Pipeline - Closed Conditions by Region

Created with Highcharts 9.3.30510152025

Some conditions are not tied to a geographic location.

No geographic location summary for Express Pipeline:

  • In Progress conditions: 15
Dashboard instructions
  1. Click on a region to view conditions info
  2. Click map area outside of regions to hide info

Note: Some conditions apply to multiple regions. Conditions may be double counted across regions, resulting in a higher number of conditions than the totals seen in the buttons above.

Source and description

Data Source: Open Government

Description: The above map displays the number of CER conditions associated with projects approved by the Commission. The map is split into two tabs which show in-progress and closed conditions separately, mapped to an economic region. If a company has no in-progress conditions specific to an economic region, the dashboard will default to show the closed conditions by region. An additional view is available which contains the number of in-progress and closed conditions that don't have a corresponding economic region in the dataset. The map regions are shaded based on the number of conditions, with lighter coloured regions containing fewer conditions compared to darker colors. Conditions that apply to more than one region are double counted in the map, and these conditions will appear in the map region total and map region breakdown for each applicable region. The condition counts contained in the map navigation buttons represent total conditions without region double counting.

Have you checked out the CER's interactive conditions data visualization? This tool offers a deep dive into the CER's conditions compliance data and process, exploring conditions across all CER regulated companies by keyword, project, and location.

Emergency management

Section updated: March 2025

The CER checks to make sure companies are keeping pipelines safe by doing inspections, in-depth safety audits, and other activities. Yet, even with these precautions, an emergency could still happen. Sound emergency management practices improve public safety and environmental protection outcomes, and provide for more effective emergency response.

The CER holds its regulated companies responsible for anticipating, preventing, mitigating, and managing emergencies of any size or duration. Each company must have an emergency management program that includes detailed emergency procedures manuals to guide its response in an emergency. We oversee the emergency management program of a regulated company’s project for its entire operation.

The CER requires companies to publish information on their emergency management program and their emergency procedures manuals on their websites so Canadians can access them.

To view Express’ Emergency Response Plan, go to Enbridge’s Field Emergency Response Plans website, where its plans are organized by area of operation.

Footnotes

Section updated: October 2024