Pros of Keystone XL Pipeline

             TransCanada along with other companies in the U.S.  have been pushing for the Keystone XL Pipeline. In order to help their cause and gain popular support they have developed websites to showcase the pros of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Below are some of their main points along with my annotations.

Cheaper Energy: The Keystone XL Pipeline would be a more direct pathway from the source of crude oil in Canada to the refineries in the U.S. A shorter travel time means a faster input of crude oil and therefore a faster output of oil that can be sold. Cheaper energy makes it more affordable for families to heat/cool their homes and for small businesses to make a profit.

Creates American Jobs: Although it is a Canadian company that is proposing the pipeline, it is expected that thousands of American jobs will be created by this construction project. Even after the shovel jobs are complete, there will be the ongoing employment of people to maintain the pipes. Jobs will also be created in the refineries that will need to hire more people to process the influx in crude oil.

Improves Economy: If energy is cheaper people will spend more money on energy (longer, hotter showers will be encouraged because of the cheaper energy to heat water and leaving the lights on when one leaves the room will be less of a taboo). When people spend less money on energy they will have more money to buy other things. Also when businesses spend less money buying energy they can sell their products at a more competitive price. It is predicted that the Keystone XL Pipeline will pour billions of dollars into the economy.

Greater Energy Security: America tends to make enemies by entering other countries to export their energy. A more locally and cooperative source of energy would be better for foreign relations. In particular America would become less dependent on Argentina and the Middle East by up to 40%. The predicted number of barrels imported for day in the pipeline is 830,000. America uses the most energy per capita then any other country and if we could get energy from a closer source from a country we have friendlier relations with, our energy imports would be more reliable.


The video below gives the following three reasons for why Obama should go ahead and approve the pipeline: 1. The oil isn't going to stay buried, 2. the pipeline isn't a disaster waiting to happen, 3. It will help the economy.

Here's a blog post that further discusses the pros for the Keystone XL Pipeline.