U.S. President Donald Trump has approved a series of pipeline permits aimed at expanding and maintaining cross-border oil transportation between the United States and Canada.
The White House confirmed that one of the permits authorizes the Bakken Pipeline Company — a subsidiary of Enbridge — to construct and operate new pipeline infrastructure at the Canada-U.S. border in North Dakota.
Additional permits were granted to Enbridge for the continued operation and maintenance of existing pipeline facilities at border crossings in North Dakota and Michigan, reinforcing the existing energy corridor between the two countries.
Canadian officials say the approvals are tied to previously announced private sector projects focused on optimizing existing infrastructure rather than launching entirely new bilateral energy initiatives.
A senior government source indicated the permits are not directly linked to broader negotiations between Ottawa and Washington over a potential energy partnership, which had been pursued alongside trade and security discussions but were paused last year.
The developments come as Enbridge advances a US$1.4-billion expansion plan to increase oil transport capacity from Canada to the U.S. The project is expected to add 150,000 barrels per day to Canada’s mainline system and a further 100,000 barrels per day through the Flanagan South pipeline, improving access to major refining hubs along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The expanded capacity, expected to come online by 2027, is aimed at strengthening North America’s energy supply chain and supporting increased exports of Canadian oilsands crude.
