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A Canadian company plans to build a $500 million rail-served propane export terminal at the Port of Portland.

Officials from Calgary, Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline Corp. have signed an agreement with the port to construct and operate the terminal along the bank of the Columbia River near a dredge material handling facility on North Marine Drive. The terminal, scheduled to open in 2018, will receive 37,000 barrels of propane a day from Canada for export to Asian markets.

Approximately 600 to 800 temporary construction jobs are expected to be created. Once the terminal is built, 35 to 40 permanent workers will be needed to operate it.

Because the project is just now entering the design phase, the size, planned layout and construction start date aren’t determined yet, port spokesman Josh Thomas said. An architect and engineer haven’t been hired, he said.

Pembina officials were attracted to the Port of Portland because it is served by two major rail lines, Thomas said.

Port officials also felt comfortable with Pembina constructing an export terminal because of the company’s extensive experience building such facilities and safely transporting and storing the propane in Canada and the U.S., he said.