This is not an endorsement of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) as I have very grave concerns for the environment as it relates to this process of mining Hydro - Carbons.
Northwest
and as the door on a coal terminal closes, another opens for hydraulic
fracturing (fracking). Gray’s Harbor, normally associated with autos and
breakbulk, is eyeing a huge bonanza in the form of crude-by-rail.
The stuff will probably come from the North Dakota
fields, although other sources are being looked at. Three companies are
keenly interested -- Westway Terminal Company: Imperium Terminal
Services and Grays Harbor Rail Terminal (a subsidiary of US
Development).
US
Development is in a real hurry to get going and has reduced its
original plan for two unit trains per day to one, every other day, which
would bring in about 50,000 bbl a day facility. The company estimates
an investment of $60 million and reckons the site could be operational
in the first quarter of 2015.
The
port is setting aside Terminals 1 and 3 for the three projects and says
there will be 100-150 vessel calls a year if all operate at capacity.
The Terminal 3 berth depth is between 38 and 40 feet, and needs yearly
maintenance. The length is more than 500 feet. Terminal 1 berth depth of
is 41 feet, and has a length of 480 feet.
Not so fast, says an eco-group called Citizens for a Clean Harbor.
The group says “the import and export of crude oil in this extremely
fragile and vital estuary would be catastrophic. There are three crude
oil terminals proposed bringing in over 97 million gallons of crude.
“Billions
of dollars come into the local economy through fishing, crabbing,
shellfish growing, a migratory bird refuge of hemispheric importance,
and many other jobs which would be destroyed with one spill,” says the
group. “In addition, the rail lines are in disrepair and the additional
rail traffic from the mile-long trains would negatively impact many
communities and businesses.”
In
2012 a proposal to build a coal export terminal was dropped, partly
because of pressure from environmental groups. The developer,
RailAmerica, said a third party was interested in the site and had
bought in.
Oil
may be less of an environmental hazard than coal, but one thing’s for
sure and that’s the optimism being shown by US Development. In all
likelihood the terminal will only be operational in 2016 at the
earliest.Post to be found at:
http://www.maritimeprofessional.com/Blogs/Martin-Rushmere/April-2013/Fracking-could-be-the-new-future-for-some-ports-%282.aspx
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