Tar sand oil can now be formed into a puck with a dry plastic skin and viscous liquid center. CN Rail will ship these in an open top car. Avoids addition of any flammable diluent content, such as needed for utilizing a tanker car for transport. Can actually rail-ship more product this way due to overall weight reduction.
https://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN1NG0FB-OCATP
China’s refineries represent a high demand market for asphaltenes. Canada can make a connection by rail to dry bulk shipping terminals for delivery. No discounts upon the product delivered to Asian buyers.
A railroad connection into the lower-48 would allow bypass of pipeline issues, and non-hazardous shipping for the solidified petroleum to U.S. refinery.
Once the law-fare blockade of pipelines in order to stall development of Canadian oil falters, a consequence of the addition of another transport alternative, resistance to pipelines will diminish or shift focus.
https://www.albertaventure.com/3-companies-betting-on-cold-bitumen-transport-technologies/2/2814