After four years and more than $34 billion in costs, the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion will go into commercial service on May 1. 

The Crown corporation behind the massive project provided the start date in an update posted to its website Wednesday.

"The commencement date for commercial operation of the expanded system will be May 1, 2024," Trans Mountain Corp. said in the update.

"Trans Mountain anticipates providing service for all contracted (oil) volumes in the month of May."

The company also confirmed in its statement that it has resolved the construction-related difficulties that had slowed the project's progress in recent months. Trans Mountain Corp. had encountered an "obstruction" when trying to pull the pipe into the horizontal hole that had been drilled for it in an area of the Fraser Valley between Hope and Chilliwack, B.C.