The Pathways Alliance consortium of oilsands companies has confirmed it will submit an application this week to the Alberta Energy Regulator for approval of its proposed massive $16.5-billion carbon capture pipeline project.
The move comes nearly three years after Canada’s largest oilsands companies announced they would band together in a joint effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oilsands production.
The companies are proposing to build a 400-kilometre line that would transport carbon dioxide emissions from oilsands production facilities in northern Alberta and embed them safely underground.
Pathways has said the project could help its member companies achieve a 32 per cent reduction from 2019 emissions levels by 2030.
The oilsands group has previously said the regulatory approvals process could take a year to complete.
Pathways has spent much of the last three years lobbying for financial and policy support for carbon capture and storage from the both the federal government as well as the government of Alberta.