While the original Keystone XL Pipeline project was officially terminated by TC Energy in 2021 following the revocation of its U.S. presidential permit, the project has seen a major revival under a new form. In late April 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a cross-border presidential permit authorizing a spiritual successor to the pipeline. Now structured as a partnership between Bridger Pipeline LLC and South Bow Corp, the infrastructure company spun off from TC Energy in 2024, the new endeavor leverages roughly 150 kilometers of pipeline already laid in the ground on the Canadian side during the initial Keystone XL construction phase.
The resurrected project, often referred to as the Prairie Connector or the Bridger Pipeline Expansion, features an altered 1,038-kilometer U.S. route designed to bypass the heavy environmental and legal friction points that plagued the original proposal. The revised pipeline will cross from Alberta into Phillips County, Montana, and travel south to its terminus in Guernsey, Wyoming, with an expected initial capacity of 550,000 barrels of Canadian crude oil per day. While federal authorities and the Bureau of Land Management have begun reviewing public commentary and early engineering designs, the project still faces necessary state-level regulatory approvals and ongoing scrutiny from environmental and Indigenous advocacy groups as it moves toward a final investment decision expected next year. This project alongside the proposed Northern Shield Energy Corridor will play a big role in ensuring Canada’s energy security.
August 14, 2021
Michels Canada has been awarded the contract from TC Energy Corporation to construct approximately 260 kilometers of the Keystone XL Pipeline Project in Alberta.
According to Dean Cowling, President, Michels Canada, Keystone XL Pipeline Project will bring with it thousands of good-paying jobs and economic benefits to local communities along the pipeline route. “We look forward to initiating construction this summer and take pride in our reputation for delivering quality work safely and with care for the environment,” he said.
Michels Canada will be directly responsible for hiring a projected 1,000 workers each year over the two-year construction period, with special emphasis placed on hiring locally and giving priority to qualified local and indigenous businesses. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer near Oyen, AB and finish near Hardisty, AB in the spring of 2022.
Rob Sillner, Keystone XL Vice President, Canada Execution & Project Enablement said that Michels Canada has extensive experience constructing pipelines and major infrastructure projects in North America and were chosen based on their alignment with TC Energy’s core principles of safety, environmental stewardship and stakeholder engagement along with their construction expertise, financial strength and contract competitiveness.
Also Read: Phase II redevelopment works underway at OPG’s Calabogie Generating Station in Canada
Keystone XL Pipeline Project
Overall, construction of Keystone XL will contribute approximately US $2.4bn to Canada’s GDP and will generate more than US $7m in property taxes in the first year in service. The 1,897km Keystone XL pipeline will supply crude from the Alberta oil sands in Canada to the US Gulf Coast refineries.
Capable of delivering 830,000 barrels of heavy crude oil a day, the cross-border crude oil pipeline will originate from an oil terminal at Hardisty, Alberta, and traverse through Montana and South Dakota to connect with the existing Keystone Pipeline system at Steele City, Nebraska.
Project Factsheet
Project Name: Prairie Connector Pipeline (also referred to as the Bridger Pipeline Expansion or the Keystone XL Revival)
Project Type: Cross-border crude oil transmission pipeline
Current Status: Early development, regulatory review, and engineering design. Binding 20-year shipper commitments have been secured.
Target Construction Start: Q2 2027
Target In-Service Date: Q4 2028
Estimated Project Cost: $2.2 billion USD
Total Length: 1,188 kilometers
Canadian Section: 150 kilometers
U.S. Section: 1,038 kilometers
Initial Capacity: 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Canadian crude oil (representing a roughly 12% increase in Canada’s total U.S. crude export capacity).
Key Stakeholders and Partnerships
South Bow Corp: Canadian developer and operator (Spun off from original Keystone XL proponent TC Energy in 2024). Manages the Canadian asset base.
Bridger Pipeline LLC: U.S. developer and operator. Manages the newly planned U.S. segment through Montana and Wyoming.
U.S. Federal Government: Cross-border presidential permit signed and authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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