TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline Resumes Normal Flow Rates After Nearly Full Day Shutdown

TransCanada restarted their 590,000 bpd pipeline Wednesday morning after being shut for 21 hours, according to Genscape’s proprietary pipeline monitoring. Genscape monitors detected start up activity beginning at 1:30 a.m. (EST) with flow resuming normal rates at 5:30 a.m. (EST).

Flow was shut yesterday due to a power outage cutting the electricity supply to pumping stations in Alberta along with planned work at the TransCanada Hardisty terminal, sources indicate. Genscape monitors detected the pipeline shut down beginning at 4 a.m. (EST) May 14, and alerted customers more than five hours before TransCanada confirmed the outage, Genscape said in a prepared statement.

The Keystone pipeline system has a capacity of 590,000 bpd and flows from Hardisty, Alberta to Steele City, Neb., and from there either to Patoka, Ill. or to Cushing, Okla.