Article content continued

“We believe there’s an opportunity to intervene in this process and be able to share our perspective and inform the decision-making on whether the permits for this project are approved or not,” Mr. Jensen said.

The decision to rebuff the EPA’s request for additional time to apply as a participant in hearings comes as Canada seeks approval for TransCanada Corp.’s contentious Keystone XL project. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has openly criticized President Barack Obama for “punting” on the Alberta-to-Texas pipeline, which requires U.S. government approval because it crosses the Canada-U.S. border.

It was not clear Monday whether the EPA can file a late application to participate in the Kinder Morgan hearings, which are slated for this year.

Pipelines to the Pacific have been touted as key to boosting prices for oil sands bitumen, which at times has fetched more than US$40 less than the North American benchmark.

Enbridge’s rival Northern Gateway would send up to 525,000 barrels of Alberta oil west to a new supertanker port on B.C.’s northern coast to supply Asian markets. Regulators approved the project with 209 conditions last year, setting up a final decision expected by July from the federal cabinet.

The Financial Post has reported that the Haisla First Nation, which claims land sought by Enbridge for the project, has formally asked the federal government to delay a decision on the contentious pipeline to allow more time for consultations with aboriginal groups. Enbridge officials acknowledged last week that legal skirmishes could push back a proposed start-up of 2018.

Companies are accelerating marketing efforts anyway.

Cenovus Energy Inc., among a clutch of “funding participants” that supports Gateway, aims to boost shipments to the Pacific to 175,000 barrels a day, from about 11,500 barrels today. The company is working to build relationships with Asian refiners and trading companies, and recently sold a 600,000-barrel cargo to an undisclosed Chinese company from the port in Burnaby, B.C., chief executive Brian Ferguson said.

“We see that as a good opportunity for us as we move forward,” he said.