Recent Oil and Gas Port Projects in Northern British Columbia

British Columbia's north coast is experiencing a dramatic resurgence in port-related activity after more than two decades of relatively little growth. An unprecedented number of major new port projects are at various stages of planning, design, and construction. The rugged nature of BC's north coast poses numerous engineering challenges, while the regulatory environment presents challenges of its own. Besides the comprehensive environmental assessment process, oil and gas terminal projects are also subject to a Canadian federal review known as the "Termpol review process" (TRP) that focuses on shipping and navigation safety issues. This paper presents a case history of two projects planned for the region—the Kitimat Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facility and the Enbridge Gateway projects—and focuses on some of the challenging design aspects, as well as the TRP process for oil and gas terminals. These two projects, along with others planned for area, will bring welcome new development and have the potential to transform the entire regional economy.