A controversial 13-kilometre pipeline through Richmond to supply jet fuel to the airport has been completed and is now being tested.
In the meantime, construction is expected to continue until mid-2022 at the fuel receiving facility, a tank farm, located on the Fraser River east of No. 6 Road, according to a project update published Friday.
In the first quarter of 2022, road work will be done on Williams Road and the facility will be hooked up to the municipal water system in the spring.
Work this spring on the third component, the marine terminal, includes installation of the foundation. The loading arms and gangway tower have already been installed.
The entire jet fuel delivery project is expected to be completed by early 2023.
The Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation (VAFFC) – owned by most major airlines that use Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – is building the pipeline, despite strong opposition from Richmond city council and environmental groups.
At the time when the Williams Road changes came to council for approval, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie called the public consultation on the project a “joke” and “a pretext of consultation.”
Several groups, including Vapor and Fraser Voices, were vocal in their opposition to the pipeline.
The previous line, running from Burnaby to the airport, north of Cambie Road, is owned by Pembina, formerly Kinder Morgan.
When the project was proposed, the current pipeline was at capacity and the airport was being supplemented by 70 fuel truck deliveries per day.
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, however, air travel has dropped significantly.
Large oil tankers are expected to come to the facility to deliver jet fuel, which has raised concerns about spills and fires at the tank farm.
Richmond city council approved using $800,000 from the jet fuel agreement to buy a high-flow industrial pump for Richmond Fire-Rescue to be used in the event of fire at the tank farm.
