09:50 AM EDT, 03/21/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The C$34 billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has begun filling with oil with first shipments from the 590,000 barrel per day project expected in May, CBC News reported.

Speaking to the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, Trans Mountain chief financial officer Mark Maki said 25% of the line has been filled.

The federally owned project is boosting the size of the Edmonton, Alberta, to Port of Vancouver pipeline to 890,000 barrels per day from 300,000 bpd, though the costs of the projects swelled from its original C$7.4-billion budget as it faced difficult construction conditions crossing mountain ranges, while the pandemic and weather disasters also raised costs.

Maki said the final price tag for the project will not be known until three months following the end of work on the line.

Separately, Bloomberg News reported China's Sinochem agreed to buy the first crude cargo from the line, acquiring 550,000 barrels of oil from Suncor Energy ( SU ) , with loading from the port expected in May or June.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)