One thing which may effect the Alberta bitumen prices is the fire and following shut down Upgrader at Canadia Natural (CNQ) 110 000 bbl/d Horizon Oil Sand plant.

This happened 4 week ago but due to the Alberta`s Occupational Health and Safety inspectors not much has been done to asses, repair and restart the operation.

Another story reported last week was that due to the rising volume of Canadian Crude the WTI Storage Hub at Cushing Oklohama is full.

Most of the Alberta Oil is pump to Midwest and WTI Hub at Cushing. Enbridge announce that at list the end of the February their pipline capacity will remin tightit and their lines can`t ship as much crude as oil producers have requested.

Kinder Morgan is again rationing capacity on its Trans Mountain pipeline system, which takes Alberta crude to southern British Columbia and Washington's Puget Sound, as shippers wanted to put more oil on the line than it could carry.

Looks like Peak OIL on the supply side :=).