Bridger Pipeline has submitted a regulatory application in Montana for a new 36-inch-diameter crude oil transmission pipeline. This expansion project aims to transport Canadian crude oil across the U.S.-Canada border into Montana, with an initial capacity of approximately 550,000 barrels per day. The proposed route begins near an existing border crossing area, heads south briefly before turning east, then proceeds south through Montana and into Wyoming, ultimately delivering volumes to the Guernsey hub.
The geographic origin of the pipeline strongly suggests that the upstream Canadian portion will leverage partially built infrastructure from the canceled Keystone XL project. Portions of a 36-inch pipeline, along with facilities such as a terminal near Hardisty, Alberta, and two pump stations, remain in place and idle following the project’s termination in 2021. This existing network appears to be the primary upstream source capable of supplying the proposed volumes, effectively enabling a partial utilization, or resurrection, of Keystone XL’s Canadian segment to feed into the new Bridger line.
In Montana, the chosen route prioritizes permitting practicability by avoiding sensitive areas like water body crossings, wildlife refuges, and tribal lands that complicated alternative southeastern paths. Over half of the new pipeline in Montana and all of it in Wyoming will follow existing rights-of-way, reducing construction costs and environmental disruption. The line may tie into Bridger’s existing systems at points such as Four Mile and Baker, potentially capturing some light crude from the Bakken formation in North Dakota and Montana en route south.
Downstream from Guernsey, Wyoming, the 550,000 barrels per day will require integration into broader takeaway options, as local storage and markets cannot absorb such volumes alone. A logical path involves a new build line connecting to the existing Keystone pipeline system at Steele City, Nebraska, which features underutilized capacity on its legs to Cushing, Oklahoma, and Patoka, Illinois. These volumes could further access Gulf Coast markets via lines like Capline from Patoka, or South Bow’s Marketlink Pipeline from Cushing. Another potential option is utilizing Bridger-affiliated assets such as the Pony Express pipeline toward Cushing. This option would likely require a new pipeline from Northern Colorado to Cushing.
