The impending startup of Canada’s government-owned Trans Mountain Expansion Project, better known as TMX, will add exit capacity for Western Canadian crude oil production and is expected to redirect at least some of Alberta’s output toward California and Asia and away from its traditional North American markets, including complex refiners in Eastern Canada and the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast. Among them, Gulf Coast refiners, who have become the “price-setting” consumers of heavy Western Canadian crude, are expected to be the hardest hit. In today’s RBN blog, we examine the Gulf of Mexico production and imported grades that might become stand-ins for the “lost” Canadian barrels.
The TMX project aims to add 590 Mb/d of egress capacity for heavy crudes emerging from Western Canada after twinning the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMP). As discussed at length in West Coast Pipe Dreams, the Trans Mountain system’s former owner, Kinder Morgan, had promoted the TMX project to the industry more than a decade ago, but only began construction after getting regulatory approvals from the National Energy Board (the predecessor of the Canada Energy Regulator, or CER) in May 2016; Canada’s federal government gave its blessings later that year (see One is the Loneliest Customer).
Figure 1. Major Crude Oil Pipelines Linking Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Source: RBN
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About the song
“On the Hunt” was written by Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant and appears as the first song on side two of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s third studio album, Nuthin’ Fancy. The song features a great guitar riff from Allen Collins and lyrics concerning life on the road with some sage advice from the narrator's father, delivered in Ronnie Van Zant’s unique Southern soulful style. Personnel on the record were: Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocals), Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ed King (guitars), Leon Wilkeson (bass), Billy Powell (piano), and Artimus Pyle (drums, percussion).
Nothin’ Fancy was recorded in January 1975 at Webb IV Studios in Atlanta, except for “Saturday Night Special,” which was recorded at Studio One in Doraville, GA, in August 1974. It was the third — and last — Skynyrd album produced by Al Kooper, who turned in his notice to the band after the album was completed. It was the first record for drummer Artimus Pyle, who replaced Bob Burns. Guitarist Ed King would leave the band in the middle of the Torture Tour that supported this album. The degree of partying and debauchery in the Skynyrd ranks was at its highest level during this time in the band’s history. The picture of the band on the album cover was shot on a ridge in Green Cove Springs, FL, close to the band’s “Hell House” rehearsal cabin. (Skynyrd has recently released a “Hell House” whiskey in tribute to that place and time.) The album was released in March 1975 and went to #9 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. It has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. One single was released from the LP.
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, FL, in 1964 under the name My Backyard, changing their name to Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1969. After releasing its debut album in 1973, the group’s lineup was Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocals), Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Ed King (guitars), Leon Wilkeson (bass), Billy Powell (piano), and Bob Burns (drums). Their three-guitar army presentation was only preceded by the bands Buffalo Springfield and Moby Grape. Burns was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974 and King was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. In 1977 the band’s chartered plane crashed in a field near Gillsburg, MS, killing vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick. The band reformed in 1987, with Ronnie Van Zant’s younger brother, Johnny, taking over on lead vocals. They have released 14 studio albums, six live albums, 23 compilation albums, and 29 singles. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Twenty-one members have passed through the band since its formation. With the recent death of guitarist Gary Rossington, there are no original members in the band. The band, fronted by singer Johnny Van Zant, continues to record and tour. They begin their 50th-anniversary tour in March. Ronnie Van Zant died in 1977, Allen Collins died in 1990, Billy Powell died in 2009, Bob Burns died in 2015, Ed King died in 2018, and Gary Rossington died in 2023.
