Interprovincial Pipe Line Company Starts Work On Edmonton-Regina Crude Oil Pipe Line

Ground survey and other work on the 450-mile EDMONTON-REGINA crude oil line is proceeding as rapidly as possible, Dr. O. B. Hopkins, newly appointed President of THE INTERPROVINCIAL PIPE LINE COMPANY LIMITED, said today. Authority of the Board of Transport Commissioners to construct the line was given today.

Air Mosaics have been taken and studied to determine the best route. The line will take a fairly direct course avoiding lakes, towns and other obstacles. Ground survey parties will work at several points along the line for greater speed.

"The primary objective of the line is to help obtain a wider market for Alberta crude as soon as possible", Dr. Hopkins said. "This objective can only be attained by keeping transportation cost to a minimum and this in turn can only be done by construction of a pipe line along the most direct route possible in the direction of ultimate markets.

"Completion of the line to Regina will not expand the present market for Alberta crude as the Prairie area is already saturated and crude is moving beyond Regina by tank car.

"Imperial considers the Edmonton-Regina line a 'first step' towards wider markets and is now studying extension of the line from Regina to the Great Lakes."

Before this year no Dominion Legislation governing interprovincial pipe lines existed but at the last session of the Canadian Parliament a Federal Pipe Lines Act and a special act incorporating the Interprovincial Pipe Line Company was passed. This legislation gives the company authority to build interprovincial oil pipelines. The right is subject to approval of the Board of Transport Commissioners. The decision of the Transport Board sanctions the first Canadian pipeline under the new Dominion legislation.