The Mackenzie Gas Project moved a step closer to fruition, at least from a regulatory standpoint, as Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the Cdn$16.2 billion (US$16.1 billion) project.

This latest approval from the NEB follows a decade-long battle between regulatory officials in Canada and the project’s five partners, Imperial Oil, Mackenzie Valley Aboriginal Pipeline LP, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell Canada.

While the project, which is still awaiting further regulatory approval, has finally gotten NEB approval, the partners previously said that the ...