TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver on Wednesday reiterated his support for the Keystone XL pipeline, arguing that the project was an obvious “yes” for both Canada and the US.

Oliver spoke at the thirty-third annual Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) executive conference, where he cited the US State Department’s latest environmental-impact statement, which confirmed that the pipeline would have no significant effect on the environment.

“Keystone XL has been the most exhaustively studied pipeline project ever proposed in the US. In January, the State Department confirmed once again that Keystone XL would have no significant impacts on the environment. The choice is obvious – Keystone XL should be approved, to the benefit of both our countries,” he said.

The Minister pointed out that if Keystone was rejected, alternative methods of transporting crude would be used that would increase greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 28% to 42% - making Keystone the “environmentally responsible choice”.

According to the Natural Resources Ministry, Canada’s oil sands were expected to contribute $2.1-trillion to the Canadian economy over the next 25 years.

Oliver noted that the project would support the employment of 42 000 Americans while putting $2-billion in earnings into the pockets of American families.

He also emphasised that Canada had made no compromise when it came to the environment.

While in Texas, Oliver also met with workers and delivered remarks at TransCanada’s Houston Lateral pipe yard. The Houston Lateral project was designed to reduce impacts to the land, environment and local landowners. It currently supported 650 construction jobs for Quanta employees and subcontractors.

The oil sands comprise about 97% of Canada’s 173-billion barrels of proven reserves, the third-largest reserve in the world.

Contrary to popular belief, the oil sands account for about 0.1% of global GHG emissions. Emissions per barrel have been reduced by 26% between 1990 and 2011.

According to the International Energy Agency, oil would remain the dominant fuel globally for decades to come, even under its most stringent GHG reduction forecast.