President Barack Obama said a decision on whether to approve the Keystone XL pipeline is possible in weeks or months.
The president told Reuters in an interview Monday that the decision definitely “will happen before the end of my administration.” Asked to be specific, he said, “Weeks or months.”
The comments came after the president on Feb. 24 vetoed Republican-backed legislation that would have cleared the way for construction of the TransCanada Corp. project, which is opposed by many environmental activists and supported by business and labor groups.
In a series of local television interviews on Wednesday, Obama voiced skepticism over the pipeline that would carry crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to the U.S. Gulf Coast, saying it would not create many permanent American jobs.
“Unfortunately, the Keystone pipeline has been hyped a lot by the oil industry, but the fact of the matter is this is Canadian oil being shipped through the United States and creates approximately 250, 300 permanent jobs,” Obama told KMBC-TV in Kansas City.
Recommended Reading
US Drillers Add Oil, Gas Rigs for First Time in Five Weeks
2024-04-19 - The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose by two to 619 in the week to April 19.
Strike Energy Updates 3D Seismic Acquisition in Perth Basin
2024-04-19 - Strike Energy completed its 3D seismic acquisition of Ocean Hill on schedule and under budget, the company said.
Santos’ Pikka Phase 1 in Alaska to Deliver First Oil by 2026
2024-04-18 - Australia's Santos expects first oil to flow from the 80,000 bbl/d Pikka Phase 1 project in Alaska by 2026, diversifying Santos' portfolio and reducing geographic concentration risk.
Iraq to Seek Bids for Oil, Gas Contracts April 27
2024-04-18 - Iraq will auction 30 new oil and gas projects in two licensing rounds distributed across the country.
Vår Energi Hits Oil with Ringhorne North
2024-04-17 - Vår Energi’s North Sea discovery de-risks drilling prospects in the area and could be tied back to Balder area infrastructure.