EPRINC briefing
Keystone XL and Canadian Oil Sands
20 publications
Briefing summary
Canada supplies roughly 2.8 million barrels per day of crude to U.S. refineries, nearly all its exports; this briefing covers the oil sands, Keystone XL pipeline access to Gulf Coast refineries, and the cost impact of U.S. tariffs on Canadian crude.
What is the value of Keystone XL and oil-sands crude to the US?
ReportA Primer on the Canadian Oil SandsCanadian oil sands have long been recognized as one of the world’s largest endowments of oil resources with over 170 billion barrels in place. The…Nov 2010ChartCanadian Provincial Oil & Natural Gas Production, Related Consumption and ExportsCanada is the world's fourth-largest crude oil producer and sixth-largest natural gas producer, with production concentrated in a few western…Chart 2023-15ChartSnapshot of Canadian Crude Oil, Petroleum Products, and Natural Gas Supply/Demand BalancesCanadian crude oil production has doubled over the past 20 years to more than 4 million barrels per day, led by developments in Alberta. The…Chart 2022-15CommentaryEPRINC Comments on Keystone XL EISEPRINC submitted comments to Secretary of State John Kerry regarding the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.May 2013Op-EdWSJ Opinion: Keystone Can Help the Gulf—and the NortheastBy LUCIAN PUGLIARESI Opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline comes in many forms. Former House speaker and current Democratic Minority Leader…Feb 2012CommentaryExports, Imports, and Energy SecurityDecember 21, 2011 (Download PDF version for citations) Over the past 18 months EPRINC has published several assessments on the economic…Jan 2012Op-EdWSJ Opinion: The Keystone DebacleOPINION November 16, 2011 The Keystone Debacle Was Obama’s decision to delay the Canadian oil pipeline shrewd politics? Maybe not. By LUCIAN…Nov 2011Op-EdWSJ Opinion: The Lessons of the Shale Gas RevolutionOpinion September 30, 2011 The Lessons of the Shale Gas Revolution North American oil production can double by 2035. By LUCIAN PUGLIARESI Where can…Oct 2011CommentaryThe Value of the Canadian Oil Sands (….to the United States)The pipeline would permit the shipment of increased volumes of heavy crudes to U.S. Gulf Coast refiners from expanded oil sands production sourced…Nov 2010Press“Obama’s Keystone Pipe Blockage”President Obama continues to delay approval for construction of the northern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline, a $5.3 billion project that would…Aug 2013Press“Obama’s Keystone XL Stance Deepens Impasse with Canada”“There isn’t a lot of clarity from the White House or the administration on exactly what all the determinants will be for this pipeline,” said…Aug 2013
How do cross-border oil flows affect energy security?
ChartWest Coast Product Receipts: The Jones Act Waiver’s Sixfold SurgeCombined April and May 2026 waterborne receipts of Gulf Coast petroleum products into the U.S. West Coast reached 377 thousand barrels per day,…Chart 2026-27ChartCrude Oil and Product Movements: The North American Production PlatformThe chart maps the crude oil and refined product flows that integrate the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican energy markets, showing that Canada and Mexico…Chart 2025-05ChartU.S. Crude Oil Import Dependence and Potential VulnerabilityU.S. crude oil imports have swung widely over seven decades, from near self-sufficiency in the late 1940s to a 2008 peak exceeding 210% of domestic…Chart 2023-40EventEPRINC Embassy Series: Building out the North American Energy InfrastructureThe event began with opening remarks by EPRINC President Lucian Pugliaresi and Canadian Political Minister Martin Loken. Both stressed the…Oct 2017PressEnergy Policy Research Distinguished Fellow Michael Lynch on U.S. Oil Tariffs on CanadaEnergy Policy Research Foundation Distinguished Fellow Michael Lynch examines U.S. oil tariffs on Canada. Readers can find his analysis at Forbes.Feb 2025
What are the economics of oil sands for Gulf Coast refiners?
ChartThe Cost Impact of President Trump’s Tariffs on U.S. Crude Oil Imports from Canada and Mexico: A First AssessmentApplying the tariff rates set out in President Trump's February 1, 2025 Executive Orders, the added annual cost of U.S. crude oil imports from…Chart 2025-06CommentaryAmerican Fuels – Opportunities and Challenges for the U.S. Refining IndustryThe upstream production gains provide an opportunity for stable earnings for U.S. refiners and higher production of the entire range of petroleum…Jan 2012