Upper Midwest crude oil supplies: problems and alternatives. A future choices publication of the Upper Midwest Council

Book · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5475729

Murphy, M J

The crude oil supply and demand conditions through 1982 for the eight major refinery operations located in Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota/western Wisconsin. It also looked at the range of alternative supply systems potentially available to some or all of these refineries. The timing, the comparative costs and benefits and the key points of these alternatives are discussed. The implications for the Upper Midwest of a growing surplus of Alaskan crude oil on the West Coast of the United States in terms of national decisions are examined and how the implications affect this region. Some of the alternatives were: the Alaska-Canada Oil Pipeline; the Kitimat Pipeline; the Northern Tier Pipeline; the Trans-Mountain Reversal; the Pactex Pipeline; the Northern Pipeline; the Williams Pipeline; the SWAP arrangements; shift domestic crude oil flows; and tank-train transport. It is important that action begins in the immediate future to implement one or more of the alternative means now under construction for delivering crude oil to the Northern Tier. It appears that one or more of the proposed major pipelines essentially could fill most all regional crude oil needs. It also appears possible that several of the less-costly and smaller-scale alternative, cumulatively, could accomplish much the small task, perhaps with less controversy and in a more timely manner. At the same time refiners, state governments and others take steps to implement these less-costly and smaller-scale alternatives, concurrent measures should be taken to advance proposals for major pipelines from the West Coast, should they prove technically and economically feasible and in the best interests of the region and the nation. private sector leaders in the region should focus on this major problem area and attempt to accelerate decision-making processes. Individual states should work together to insure implementation of most time and most economical alternatives. (DP)

• OSTI ID: 5475729
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
292000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Supply
Demand & Forecasting
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL SUPPLIES
FUELS
GREAT LAKES REGION
MINNESOTA
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH DAKOTA
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
REFINING
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
USA
WISCONSIN