Overview of Terminals

In Part 1 of this 2-part series, published in the July/August 2015 issue of Inspectioneering Journal, I discussed corrosion control methods and some effective techniques for inspecting ASTs, and also identified several root causes of AST failures in crude oil service. In this second installment, I will briefly review the costs associated with AST failures and discuss maintenance strategies to help prevent and/or mitigate predictable and unforeseen incidents.

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New inline inspections and integrity management systems allow operators to understand the complexities and economics of terminals’ and station’s complex aging pipeline infrastructure.

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In a report issued May 27, 2009 for an investigation into the November 2008 fertilizer tank collapse at Allied Terminals in Chesapeake, VA, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recommended that the Commonwealth of Virginia regulate or authorize local jurisdictions to regulate the design, construction, maintenance and inspection of large fertilizer storage tanks located on the Elizabeth River.

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The purpose of the new SPCC rule is two-fold; i.e. to prevent oil spills from occurring and to respond to them if they do occur. We believe that few will argue that prevention is far better and less costly than response in general. The focus of this paper is to highlight how the new SPCC invokes existing industry standards as a requirement for implementation at all covered facilities in an effort to prevent spills. In particular, we focus on the most important industry standards that are required to prevent spills from occurring in existing facilities. Since the SPCC rule does not specifically identify any required standards the task of figuring out which standards are applicable and must be implemented is a challenging one. There are at least a hundred industry standards related to tanks and terminal facilities.

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On Tuesday, ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum announced a final investment decision on a $10 billion project to expand liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capabilities from the Texas Gulf Coast.

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The Golden Pass Products LLC export project at the existing Golden Pass LNG facility in Sabine Pass, Texas, is moving forward following a positive final investment decision from its owners, affiliates of Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil.

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Canadian-owned Irving Oil recently announced its acquisition of the Tedcastle group of companies, an Irish-based energy marketing and distribution organization, which operates under the brand name Top Oil.

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Sempra Energy has received the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to construct the Port Arthur LNG natural gas liquefaction-export project in Jefferson County, Texas.

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Enterprise Products Partners LP’s re-purposed natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline in the Permian Basin will begin limited operations in February to carry crude oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast, ahead of its original plan, the company said on Thursday.

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ProSource Radiography Services, a sister company and subsidiary of Pro-Surve is ready to tackle your radiography needs. Should you need a small bore piping survey or other need for computed radiography. ProSource can take conventional film, and convert them to digital files for easy naming and storage. ProSource is ready to be your Sole-Point-Of-Contact (SPOC) for your radiography needs.

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Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, has signed a Share Purchase Agreement with Petrobras to acquire all the outstanding shares and equity interests of Pasadena Refining System, Inc. for $350 million.

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Magellan Midstream has begun talks with companies developing crude transportation assets in Freeport, TX, as it considers building a U.S. crude export terminal there instead of its previously planned spot off Corpus Christi.

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Buckeye Partners, L.P. recently announced it has completed the sale of a package of domestic pipeline and terminal assets to a subsidiary of InstarAGF Asset Management Inc. for cash proceeds of $450 million. The Asset Package includes: a jet fuel pipeline from Port Everglades, Florida to the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Florida airports; pipelines and terminal facilities serving the Reno, Nevada; San Diego, California and Memphis, Tennessee airports; and refined petroleum products terminals in Sacramento and Stockton, California.

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity will reach 8.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by the end of 2019, making it the third largest in the world behind Australia and Qatar.

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Inter Pipeline Ltd. has announced a $1.46 billion (CAD) capital expenditure program for 2019. Approximately $1.34 billion (CAD), or 92 percent, of total capital expenditures will be for organic growth initiatives with the remaining invested in sustaining capital projects.

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Mike Kimbrell will be presenting “Addressing Increased Fouling Rates in Delayed Coker Heaters – A Case Study Identifying the Factors Behind the Increased Fouling Rates.” Additionally, Becht will be exhibiting in Booth #91, so be sure to stop by!

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Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. ("Par Pacific") has signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.S. Oil & Refining Co. and certain affiliated entities (collectively, "U.S. Oil"), a privately-held downstream business, for $358 million plus net working capital. The acquisition includes a 42,000 bpd refinery, a marine terminal, a unit train-capable rail loading terminal, and 2.9 MMbbls of refined product and crude oil storage.

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American Midstream Partners, LP has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its refined products terminalling business to Sunoco LP, for approximately $125 million in cash, subject to working capital adjustments.

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The Port of Corpus Christi Authority recently announced it has entered into an agreement with The Carlyle Group to work exclusively to develop a world-class crude oil export terminal on Harbor Island, connecting growing crude oil production in the United States with global markets.

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PBF Logistics has closed on the acquisition of CPI Operations LLC, which owns a storage facility and other idled assets located on the Delaware River near Paulsboro, New Jersey. The total consideration was $107.0 million (USD).

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MPLX LP recently announced it has purchased an eastern U.S. Gulf Coast export terminal with 4 million barrels of third-party leased storage capacity and a 120,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) dock from Pin Oak Holdings, LLC, for approximately $450 million.

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Integrating a new digital technology that combines data-driven insights and data storage with innovative mobility can provide a new level of connected intelligence. Digitalization can improve workflow, increase worker productivity and allow better recording of field data. Mobile technology allows for real-time data monitoring and strategic decision making via specialized tablet-driven software.

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Kinder Morgan Inc has hired investment bank TD Securities to facilitate a potential sale of its Canadian business, which could fetch as much as C$2.4 billion ($1.8 billion), people familiar with the situation told Reuters this week.

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Targa Resources Corp. has executed agreements to sell its refined products and crude oil storage and terminaling facilities in Tacoma, WA and Baltimore, MD to an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC for approximately $160 million.

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Flint Hills Resources has announced plans to expand its Ingleside crude oil export facility along the Corpus Christi Ship Channel.

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Par Pacific Holdings Inc shares jumped 17 percent on Thursday after the refiner said it would acquire assets from its rival in Hawaii and expand its fuels production.

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Occidental Petroleum will sell its oil export terminal near Corpus Christi and a West Texas pipeline network for a combined $2.6 billion as the Houston oil company opts to focus on its growing production in the Permian Basin in West Texas.

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ProSource Radiography Services, a sister company and subsidiary of Pro-Surve is ready to tackle your radiography needs. Should you need a small bore piping survey or other need for computed radiography. ProSource can take conventional film, and convert them to digital files for easy naming and storage. ProSource is ready to be your Sole-Point-Of-Contact (SPOC) for your radiography needs.

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Global commodities trader Trafigura has applied to build a deep water port in Texas, United States, that would be able to load supertankers, the company said on Monday, supplying badly needed oil export infrastructure to the country.

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A new race to build multi-billion dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants is gaining momentum after a long hiatus in investments as energy giants sense a widening supply gap within five years.

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Tallgrass Energy, LP has announced plans to develop a new crude oil pipeline from Cushing, Okla., to the St. James, La., refining complex, as well as a separate new export-capable liquids terminal strategically located near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

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Occidental Petroleum Corp (Oxy) is exploring a sale of its pipeline assets, hoping to fetch more than $5 billion and free up capital to invest in exploration and production as oil prices rebound, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

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The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued two reports on the safe management of hazards by small businesses and storage facilities that use highly hazardous chemicals in business processes.

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Passing the API RP 571 or API 580 certification is not easy, but it is a must for anyone looking to demonstrate aptitude with Damage Mechanisms or Risk-Based Inspection (RBI). Choose training with an instructor that has decades of experience with both the fundamental concepts of Damage Mechanisms or RBI as well as the specifics of the respective RP's. Contact Stephanie Simek at Pro-Surve today.

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The DOJ, EPA, and TCEQ have announced an agreement with Vopak Terminal Deer Park Inc. and Vopak Logistics Services USA, Inc., to improve air quality in the Houston area by strengthening air pollution controls and compliance with federal and state clean air laws at Vopak’s chemical storage terminal and wastewater treatment facility in Deer Park, Texas.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has settled with Wilson Oil, Inc., (doing business as Wilcox & Flegel Oil Co.) for alleged Clean Water Act spill prevention violations at its Longview Terminal facility in Longview, Washington.

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Tesoro Corporation, through its affiliates Tesoro Alaska Company LLC and Tesoro Alaska Terminals LLC, has acquired Flint Hills Resources' (FHR) wholesale marketing and logistics assets in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska.

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The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has approved the final investigation report and video from the 2009 explosion and fire at caribbean petroleum terminal facility in Puerto Rico.

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The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released its draft investigation report into the 2009 massive explosion at the Caribbean Petroleum, or CAPECO, terminal facility near San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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