[Smokin' Joe]

Not just the Saudis, imho. There is little shortage of light, sweet, crude. The Canadian crude (Tar Sands stuff) is a heavy oil closer to the Venezuelan crude, and I think that's the market Duh-1 has been protecting by denying Keystone. Rather than do business with our northern and still relatively free neighbors, he not only snubs them but gets cozy with other dictators...

Of course, anything to deny pipeline space to crude from the Bakken/Three Forks as well, even though much of that moves by rail.

[Hootowl99]

Fearless prediction is that most of the Northern leg of the Keystone XL will be built soon with the exception of a hundred miles or so needed for the cross border extension. This is to specifically address the Bakken and associated oil fields.

I'm surprised this has not already implemented as Fed involvement in permitting is limited largely to river crossings, which is an engineering technology related permit by the Corps of Engineers. Note the rapid implementation of the southern leg of the XL from Cushing to the Gulf Coast. Canada's decision to pull the trigger on their west coast pipeline will take political gamesmanship off the table on delaying the Northern leg of the XL implemented with respect to Bakken connection.

[Aevery_Freeman]

northern and still relatively free WHITE neighbors...

We now what motivates this administration!