{"id":443821,"date":"2026-05-12T05:26:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=443821"},"modified":"2026-05-12T05:26:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:26:03","slug":"keystone-xl-rebranded-as-keystone-light-in-trumps-push-for-north-american-energy-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=443821","title":{"rendered":"Keystone XL Rebranded as \u201cKeystone Light\u201d in Trump\u2019s Push for North American Energy Security"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Legal Insurrection<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project is a leaner, faster, and more litigation-resistant project that reuses idle pipe, threads existing corridors, avoids reservation land, and is racing the clock to lock in steel-in-the-ground before the next Democratic administration can once again sacrifice North American energy security to green ideology.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Posted by Leslie Eastman<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been quite some time since we covered the Keystone XL Pipeline, a proposed extension of the existing Keystone Pipeline System designed to transport crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to Nebraska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project\u2019s goal<\/a> was to expand the pipeline system\u2019s capacity by allowing the transport of up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day over a distance of approximately 1,210 miles. The aim was to provide a more direct route for Canadian oil, and provisions were included for adding American-produced oil from the Bakken formation in Montana and North Dakota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last time we reported on this Keystone XL, President Donald Trump was promising to revive the project<\/a> \u201con day one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last fall, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney<\/a> raised the prospect of reviving the pipeline project during his recent White House visit with Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project has now moved another step toward starting.  Trump recently signed<\/a> an order granting a cross-border permit to revive parts of the Keystone XL pipeline to transport Canadian oil to Guernsey, Wyoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The pipeline, proposed by Canadian pipeline company South Bow (SOBO.TO), opens new tab and its U.S. partner Bridger Pipeline, could increase Canada\u2019s crude exports to the U.S. by more than 12% if it goes ahead. A presidential permit was required for \u200bthe project to proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new proposal involves a different route through the U.S. than the previous Keystone XL project, which was canceled by \u200bformer President Joe Biden in 2021 after years of Indigenous and environmental opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSlightly different than the last administration,\u201d Trump said \u2060at a White House event, referring to his administration\u2019s attitude towards crude oil infrastructure. \u201cThey wouldn\u2019t sign a pipeline deal, and we have pipelines going up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the project will use some of the previously built pipe on the Canadian side, where Keystone XL is already fully permitted. \u200bSouth Bow was spun off by former Keystone XL proponent TC Energy in 2024 to take over its oil pipeline business. Approximately 150 km (93 miles) of pipe has been built in Canada and sitting idle since Keystone XL\u2019s cancellation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

Trump has approved the Keystone Light pipeline, clearing the way for construction to start in 2027. The Canada-U.S. project could move 550,000 barrels of crude per day, with completion targeted for late 2028 or early 2029.https:\/\/t.co\/sfPgNiAUcO<\/a>#energy<\/a> #keystone<\/a> #oilandgas<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Livingston Intl. (@livingston_intl) May 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The footprint of this pipeline is a little different than that envisioned for the Keystone XL. It appears the goal of the firms involved in this project is to complete construction before Trump\u2019s term ends<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Sometimes called \u201cKeystone Light,\u201d the Bridger Pipeline Expansion would not cross any Native American reservations. More than 70% would be built within existing pipeline corridors and 80% on private land, Bridger Pipeline LLC said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Casper, Wyoming-based company operates more than 3,700 miles (5,950 kilometers) of gathering and transmission oil pipelines in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A subsidiary of True Companies, Bridger Pipeline could avoid a reversal by a future administration if it\u2019s able to complete its project before Trump leaves office. It hopes to start construction in the fall of 2027 and finish it by late 2028 or early 2029, Bridger spokesperson Bill Salvin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is being reported that oil companies have committed to move at least 400,000 barrels per day (bpd), or about 72 per cent of the pipeline\u2019s initial capacity of 550,000 bpd.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Canadian oil producers are thrilled, as their ability to move product has been stifled by capacity constraints<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Rival pipeline operators are also looking to expand capacity on existing pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last fall, Enbridge [ENB-T<\/a> ]  approved expansions for its Mainline and Flanagan South pipelines<\/a>, which will allow an additional 150,000 bpd of Canadian heavy oil to move to the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That additional capacity is expected to come online in 2027, and the company is also gauging commercial interest in a second phase of its Mainline expansion, which it has said could be in service in 2028 and would add another 250,000 bpd of capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trans Mountain pipeline, running from Alberta to Canada\u2019s west coast for export to the U.S. West Coast and Asia, is also planning a series of enhancements that could increase its capacity by 360,000 bpd.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line: While Keystone XL\u2019s original vision was killed off by Biden\u2019s climate virtue-signaling, market realities, Canadian persistence, and Trump\u2019s energy priorities have combined to resurrect its core purpose as \u201cKeystone Light\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, this project is leaner, faster, and more litigation-resistant, reusing idle pipe, threading existing corridors, avoiding reservation land, and racing the clock to lock in steel-in-the-ground before the next Democratic administration can once again sacrifice North American energy security to green ideology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In late April\/early May 2026, the Trump administration issued a presidential permit for the Bridger Pipeline Expansion (also called the Prairie Connector), a proposed ~647-mile crude oil pipeline from Alberta, Canada, into the U.S. (crossing into Montana and terminating in Wyoming). It’s widely nicknamed “Keystone Light” by media, supporters, and opponents due to its similarities to the original Keystone XL project. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":443823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691842967,691822760,691842969,691821808,691818677,691842968,691833487],"class_list":["post-443821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-keystone-light","tag-crude-oil","tag-crude-oil-pipeline","tag-energy-security","tag-green-ideology","tag-u-s-canada-energy-cooperation","tag-us-president-donald-j-trump","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0-Keystone-XL-Rebranded-as-Keystone-Light-in-Trumps-Push-for-North-American-Energy-Security.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Rsp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":294581,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=294581","url_meta":{"origin":443821,"position":0},"title":"Biden: Make China Great Again","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/11\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Did Biden really think cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline would force Canada to leave the oil in the ground?","rel":"","context":"In \"Canada\u2019s crude oil production\"","block_context":{"text":"Canada\u2019s crude oil production","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=canadas-crude-oil-production"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/087ca4de8a20e542f0547ab4618fd80e8.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/087ca4de8a20e542f0547ab4618fd80e8.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/087ca4de8a20e542f0547ab4618fd80e8.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/087ca4de8a20e542f0547ab4618fd80e8.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/087ca4de8a20e542f0547ab4618fd80e8.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":239048,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=239048","url_meta":{"origin":443821,"position":1},"title":"Correct, Fox News, The Keystone XL Pipeline Would Have Been a Net-Benefit","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/11\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Keystone XL pipeline would have provided American jobs, supported American energy independence, and mitigated reliance on oil and gas from countries like Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-479.png?fit=1080%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-479.png?fit=1080%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-479.png?fit=1080%2C667&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-479.png?fit=1080%2C667&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-479.png?fit=1080%2C667&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":367713,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=367713","url_meta":{"origin":443821,"position":2},"title":"Keystone Pipeline Revival?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/26\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"On the first day\u00a0of\u00a0Biden\u2019s\u00a0presidency, he issued an\u00a0executive order canceling the Keystone XL pipeline\u00a0\u2014 making good on his promise to the climate activists who helped get him elected, but inviting the lawsuit brought by 21 states who say they will be hurt economically by Biden\u2019s decision.","rel":"","context":"In \"Biden\u2019s\u00a0presidency\"","block_context":{"text":"Biden\u2019s\u00a0presidency","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=bidens-presidency"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Keystone-XL-pipeline-border-crossing.jpg?fit=1200%2C998&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Keystone-XL-pipeline-border-crossing.jpg?fit=1200%2C998&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Keystone-XL-pipeline-border-crossing.jpg?fit=1200%2C998&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Keystone-XL-pipeline-border-crossing.jpg?fit=1200%2C998&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Keystone-XL-pipeline-border-crossing.jpg?fit=1200%2C998&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":238444,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=238444","url_meta":{"origin":443821,"position":3},"title":"Biden the Job Slayer: Keystone Pipeline Would have Created 10s of Thousands of Jobs","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/08\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Biden admin quietly admits canceling Keystone XL Pipeline cost thousands of jobs, billions of dollars","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-311.png?fit=940%2C466&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-311.png?fit=940%2C466&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-311.png?fit=940%2C466&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-311.png?fit=940%2C466&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":398167,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=398167","url_meta":{"origin":443821,"position":4},"title":"Revolution Wind Stop Order: Remember Keystone XL (Obama) and LNG Exports (Biden)","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/27\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The government giveth and taketh. The\u00a0Stop Order issued last Friday regarding Revolution Wind Farm\u00a0invites a relook at the similar orders against the completion of the Keystone XL Pipeline (Obama 2015) and in-process liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports (Biden 2024).","rel":"","context":"In \"Canadian crude oil\"","block_context":{"text":"Canadian crude oil","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=canadian-crude-oil"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQM0P3b7lNmG4wEWchNs_4h7s1FQ0qy3sWTRC-6SWyUMmm6bHz21W8lbKgfUzCnSo-3mU83Xj9SwqAMb-n93waJMFSA2H_h6gvz3GGkqlIHgpDPinSDz9i78N0fkYb7wpPdwM1bGd8FQwpUSi5zOECxPQ4hg6g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQM0P3b7lNmG4wEWchNs_4h7s1FQ0qy3sWTRC-6SWyUMmm6bHz21W8lbKgfUzCnSo-3mU83Xj9SwqAMb-n93waJMFSA2H_h6gvz3GGkqlIHgpDPinSDz9i78N0fkYb7wpPdwM1bGd8FQwpUSi5zOECxPQ4hg6g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQM0P3b7lNmG4wEWchNs_4h7s1FQ0qy3sWTRC-6SWyUMmm6bHz21W8lbKgfUzCnSo-3mU83Xj9SwqAMb-n93waJMFSA2H_h6gvz3GGkqlIHgpDPinSDz9i78N0fkYb7wpPdwM1bGd8FQwpUSi5zOECxPQ4hg6g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQM0P3b7lNmG4wEWchNs_4h7s1FQ0qy3sWTRC-6SWyUMmm6bHz21W8lbKgfUzCnSo-3mU83Xj9SwqAMb-n93waJMFSA2H_h6gvz3GGkqlIHgpDPinSDz9i78N0fkYb7wpPdwM1bGd8FQwpUSi5zOECxPQ4hg6g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQM0P3b7lNmG4wEWchNs_4h7s1FQ0qy3sWTRC-6SWyUMmm6bHz21W8lbKgfUzCnSo-3mU83Xj9SwqAMb-n93waJMFSA2H_h6gvz3GGkqlIHgpDPinSDz9i78N0fkYb7wpPdwM1bGd8FQwpUSi5zOECxPQ4hg6g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":438081,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=438081","url_meta":{"origin":443821,"position":5},"title":"India Helps US Repair \u2018Green\u2019 Wreckage","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"For the first time in half a century, the United States will witness the construction of a brand-new oil refinery. Located at the Port of Brownsville, this facility promises to supercharge domestic markets, guarantee national security and trigger billions of dollars in localized economic growth.","rel":"","context":"In \"hydrocarbons\"","block_context":{"text":"hydrocarbons","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=hydrocarbons"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-refinery-complex-in-India.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-refinery-complex-in-India.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-refinery-complex-in-India.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-refinery-complex-in-India.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=443821"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":443828,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443821\/revisions\/443828"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/443823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=443821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=443821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=443821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}