The NEB said full pipelines are driving up crude-by-rail exports by 13 per cent, month over month, and demand is expected to increase as a result of dropping Venezuelan production.

Cenovus Energy Inc. says it will consider slowing development of a 50,000-barrel-per-day oilsands expansion project that it started building early last year if there isn't meaningful progress on increasing pipeline capacity out of Alberta.

Discounts for western Canadian oilsands crude will remain high as railroads crank up their crude-by-rail rates in return for adding locomotives and crews to the transport constrained sector, according to an energy analyst's report published Tuesday.