South Bow and Bridger Plan New Oil Pipeline from Wyoming to Cushing, Completing Three-Leg Alberta-to-Hub Corridor
According to a Reuters report via BOE Report, Canada’s South Bow and U.S.-based Bridger Pipeline plan to jointly develop a new crude oil pipeline from Guernsey, Wyoming, to Cushing, Oklahoma, forming what the companies describe as the third and final leg of a larger project designed to move Alberta oil to the Cushing hub.
A Three-Leg Corridor Takes Shape
The new Guernsey-to-Cushing segment would follow a corridor acquired from another company. A J.P. Morgan research report noted that a South Bow and Bridger joint venture acquired the right-of-way of the Liberty Pipeline from Tallgrass Energy. The Liberty Pipeline was a previously cancelled project that had originally aimed to move oil from the Rockies and North Dakota Bakken production areas to Cushing.
The first two legs of the overall corridor involve Prairie Connector, an Alberta-to-Guernsey pipeline that South Bow and Bridger have separately proposed. That project received a cross-border permit signed by President Trump in April, and South Bow plans to restart construction work on its Canadian portion around the second quarter of 2027, with an in-service target around the fourth quarter of 2028. South Bow’s Canadian segment would use approximately 93 miles of existing idle pipe, connecting to Bridger’s proposed line in Montana and extending roughly 645 miles to Guernsey.
Matthew Lewis, founder of Plainview Energy Analytics, put the need for the Guernsey-to-Cushing leg plainly: “There is currently no significant oil egress capacity out of that Wyoming/Colorado area to major hubs like Cushing. Thus, you need a major new build project to carry that oil from Wyoming to an oil hub.”
Prairie Connector, if completed, could increase Canada’s crude exports to the U.S. by more than 12%, according to the companies.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- The Guernsey-to-Cushing segment represents a major greenfield pipeline build across Wyoming and Oklahoma. Companies in right-of-way clearing, horizontal directional drilling, pipeline welding, coating, and hydrostatic testing should begin positioning now for open seasons and early contractor solicitations.
- The project is built on a previously acquired right-of-way corridor, which suggests pre-engineering work may advance faster than a fully greenfield route. Subcontractors with experience working existing ROW corridors in the Rockies and Mid-Continent regions have a distinct advantage.
- Prairie Connector’s Canadian and Montana segments also represent upstream work opportunities, with South Bow targeting a construction restart around Q2 2027. Firms operating in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the northern Rockies should track CER filings and Bridger solicitations closely.
- South Bow confirmed it has already secured shipper commitments needed to advance Prairie Connector, which reduces project cancellation risk and makes early contractor engagement more viable.
- Watch Tallgrass Energy’s response closely. The source notes Tallgrass did not immediately comment on the ROW acquisition, and any disputes or confirmations around that transaction could affect project timelines.
