OREANDA-NEWS. The Portland Montreal pipeline, a crucial link between Atlantic crude imports and Quebec refineries for 75 years, went dry in January for the first time in memory.

Monthly figures from the state of Maine showed no crude moving through the pipeline in January, the first full month of operation for Enbridge's 300,000 b/d Line 9 crude pipeline that gives the Montreal area's two main refineries access to onshore crude from western Canada and the Williston basin in North Dakota.

Suncor's 137,000 b/d refinery and Valero's 265,000 b/d refinery are committed shippers on the Enbridge line, and both refineries have access to direct waterborne imports.

Portland Montreal pipeline volumes fell to 19,437 b/d in December as oil began to flow through Line 9. Portland Montreal averaged about 270,000 b/d in 2010 but tumbled steadily to 60,697 b/d last year as a combination of lost refinery capacity, direct imports by water and crude by rail took their toll.

The state, which has resumed reporting crude-by-rail information after halting the data for five months, continues to report no activity. The last shipment through the state occurred in February.