The debate over whether Hillary should be our candidate is over...

[kentauros]

133. As I recall, at least "historically"

was that getting it out of the ground was never viable from a purely monetary standpoint until oil was well over $80 per barrel. When it did hit that level (and went over $100 per barrel) that's when they started mining the surface bitumen, and then started steam-injection for the remaining 80% underground.

My guess for why they're still pushing for this is that they've invested many billions into the project, and want to get at least some of their investment back. Thus why their new push is to use some existing and proposed new pipelines to the east and still within the country of Canada. That way (in their minds) they don't have to put up with the hassle of crossing into our country. Other than a literal handful of blocked areas along the original Keystone route, the biggest hurdle all along has been the international crossing.

Now, here's something most people probably don't know. They'll likely still build parts of the original route due to that investment in engineering and equipment, then sell off those shorter pipeline routes to other companies. So, while those routes likely won't have dilbit going through them, they will get used for whatever liquid/gas products the new owners want to deliver.