The National Energy Board will hand down its ruling Thursday on the $16-billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline project.

The massive energy development that would bring one billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from the Northwest Territories into Alberta has been talked about since the 1970′s.

Most observers believe the project will get the green light with economics ultimately deciding its viability.

Peter Linder with Delta One Capital tells 660News he doubts the pipeline will ever be built.

He says with North America awash in natural gas because of various shale gas plays and weak prices, it doesn’t make economic sense for Imperial Oil to proceed.

The executive director of Sierra Club Canada agrees.

John Bennett says thanks to bleak return prospects, it looks like the environmental movement won’t have to worry about the impact the development will have on the northern Canada.

The Mackenzie pipeline ruling will come down after the markets close.