CN has the expertise to help you maximize your oil sands opportunities

Maximizing your oil sands opportunities demands scope and power – from the planning phase, through construction, to production.

We have the expertise you need during planning

During the planning stage, we bring in our team of transportation, market and distribution experts, engineers and environmental specialists. They go to work to support you in managing your supply chain, while you focus on your core business.

We have the network reach and service you need during construction

You need network reach that goes beyond borders and transportation service that goes beyond the everyday. We deliver that today.

Our high-capacity, North American rail network is just the beginning of the story. When you're ready to lay the foundation for your new venture, we provide seamless shipping solutions for:

• Pipe
• Drilling pipe (OCTG)
• Aggregates
• Cement
• Structural steel
• Turbines
• Dimensional loads
• Heavy equipment and machinery

We give you access to Alberta's Industrial Heartland thanks to rail lines that run both north and south of the North Saskatchewan River, as well as the fastest connection to Fort McMurray. Extend your market reach when you use our strategically located distribution centres.

We have the experience you need to deliver your products

Whatever product is your priority, we can give you very efficient service for shipments sourced overseas via the Port of Kitimat on the west coast, or from Louisiana and Texas ports on the Gulf coast.

Our rail network coverage throughout North America and our connections with Class 1 railroads in the U.S. make us a top shipping option. We have years of experience in shipping sulphur, petroleum coke and other products to North American and overseas markets.

• Diluent
• Liquid petroleum gases (LPG)
• Diesel
• Titanium
• Zircon
• Sulphur
• Petroleum coke
• Asphaltene

Get access to the oil sands developments deep in Alberta's Industrial Heartland

Through CN's Fort McMurray yard in northern Alberta, you have direct rail access to the major energy projects in development in the Athabasca (Fort McMurray), Peace River and Cold Lake oil sands regions. We also give you access to the Lac LaBiche rail line up to Fort McMurray (recent acquisition of Athabasca Northern Railway).

We're making significant investments in Alberta's Industrial Heartland, designed to meet your transportation, storage and distribution needs today, and your vision for the future.

• New Fort Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Distribution Centre – $30 million invested
• New track and Sturgeon County Support Yard, north of the river

We have the transload facilities you need for specialized handling and storage

CN Fort Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Distribution Centre

• Direct rail access from the centre
• Daily rail service from Edmonton to the Port of Vancouver, and to and from the Port of Prince Rupert
• Shortest, most direct route to Fort McMurray
• Products handled: aggregate, cement, construction materials, machinery and dimensional loads, steel and pipe products

CN Edmonton Oil & Gas Service Centre (OGSC)

• Located minutes away from CN's Clover Bar Yard
• Direct rail access from CN-served ports on the west coast
• Direct road and rail access (streamlines the pipe imports from Asia, U.S. and South America)
• Services: product transfer to and from rail, truck and containers
• Products handled: pipe and pipe products, such as tubulars

CN Edmonton Metals Distribution Centre (EDC)

• Located within CN's Clover Bar Yard and less than one kilometre from CN's Oil and Gas Service Centre
• Rail access to major industrial and manufacturing hubs in Canada and the U.S.
• Equipment: 40-ton overhead crane equipped with a magnet
• Services: inspection, re-banding, inventory management and piece count
• Products handled: metal products

We can handle your imports and exports via CN-served ports on the Pacific coast

Port of Prince Rupert:

As the closest, North American port to Asia, the Port of Prince Rupert can save you up to 58 hours of sailing time.

Ridley Terminals

• Bulk handling of a range of commodities, including petroleum coke and sulphur
• Only export terminal in British Columbia handling petroleum coke
• Accommodates vessels of 350,000 DWT
• Annual shipping capacity of 24 million tonnes
• Storage capacity of 1.2 million tonnes

Port of Vancouver:

With competitive vessel transit times to Japan and 50 berths, the Port of Vancouver encompasses 233 km of coastline.

Squamish Terminals (break bulk)

• Rail-served exclusively by CN
• Accommodates vessels of up to 50,000 DWT
• Covered and outside storage

Fraser Surrey Docks (break bulk)

• Handles vessels up to Panamax size
• Yard area of 53 hectares
• Covered storage of 35,850 square metres

Lynnterm Terminal (break bulk)

• Handles vessels up to post-Panamax size
• Outside storage of 59 hectares

Port of Kitimat:

On the coast of British Columbia, the Port of Kitimat features an ice-free harbour, just 80 nautical miles from the Great Circle shipping route. A channel depth of 190 to 570 metres and four inner harbour anchorages accommodate Handymax vessels of up to 50,000 DWT. The port offers bulk transfer facilities of import/export liquids such as diluent.

Make a greener, more economical choice

We use our talents as complete transportation solution providers to design environmentally responsible and financially interesting shipping options for you. We plan your shipment using rail for the long haul, reloading at one of our distribution centres, then shipping by truck to the final destination. It's seamless, efficient, economical, and provides you with interesting incentives to make a “greener” choice.

CN is working with a number of federal, provincial and state environmental agencies to develop CO2 credit evaluations for shippers exploring modal shift. The objective: provide carbon credits to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint for customers shifting traffic to rail.

Rail has been shown to emit six times less greenhouse gases than heavy trucks.

-- Natural Resources Canada

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