Trans Mountain Corp. hopes to have the pipeline that supplies the Lower Mainland with oil for refining, as well as refined fuels from Alberta, back in operation by the end of this week, if, as the late songwriter Jerry Reed put it, “the good Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise.”

The pipeline was shut down as a precautionary measure, due to the instability caused by flooding, and now more heavy rains are in the forecast.

Meanwhile, the only refinery in southwestern B.C., the Parkland Fuels (TSX:PKI) refinery in Burnaby, has run out of oil and has stopped refining.

Gasoline is being barged in from the U.S., and rules have been relaxed to allow Lower Mainlanders to skip across the U.S. border to buy gas without being subject to COVID-19 testing.

“If all planning and work continues to progress and no further issues with the pipeline are assessed, Trans Mountain is optimistic that we can restart the pipeline, in some capacity, by the end of the week,” Trans Mountain says in a press release.

“Key to successful execution of the restart plan will be access for equipment, fair weather, and no new findings of concern.”…read more.