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A combination of Chinese demand and increased pipeline space led to a large increase in the export of crude oil out of the Port of Vancouver last year.

Figures provided by the port showed there were 22 million barrels of crude exported from B.C. in 2018, compared to 13 million barrels in 2017 and 8.7 million barrels in 2016.

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Kevin Birn, vice-president of IHS Markit in Calgary, said that almost all crude oil exported from the province comes via the Canadian-government owned Trans Mountain pipeline from Edmonton.

The Trans Mountain pipeline allows for a variety of petroleum types and products to be shipped, ranging from jet fuel and kerosene to heavy crude oil and oilsands. Last year, Birn said, the amount of refined products and deliveries for the Lower Mainland were down, and this created space in the line for crude oil to be exported.

Birn said that over half of that crude oil was off-loaded at Sumas, B.C., where it connected with another pipeline that feeds four refineries in Washington.