I was recently asked a question as to the destination of the oil trains that NS is running eastbound on the former PRR Ft. Wayne line. I have no idea, but thought someone on the forum could enlighten me.
Thanks,
Tom
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A lot of what comes from the wells can be separated into components with pressure/temperature at collection points, especially the lighter hydrocarbons . Propane, a major heating component in the north east, would travel by rail until piping is in place. Heating in New England is Oil or Propane, there is not a lot of pipe line structure to support Methane/natural gas heating. Most tank cars appear to be black, it takes some time to read the detail plate, well head products here in Western PA, Marcellous/Utica Shale that ship by rail, most likely are ethane or propane from collection points. There is well head piping from wells to the collection points. Larger infrastructure, pipeline transportation takes time, rail is quickly available. Larger hydro carbons in the mix, which tend to be liquid, need refinery work, there are east coast refineries. One of the logistical problems with Bakken Oil from the Dakota's and Canada is that most refineries are geared to West Texas Crude and the Bakken Oil is a bit different.
Some of the trains from the West go through to refineries in NJ and Delaware, these are the crude oil ones. We have a cryogenic plant in my twp. but, I think, they use a nearby pipeline and trucks. The Bessemer line is near but no load outs that I can see. West of here there is a cryo plant near Harmony that ships by rail in tank cars. It is about a year or so old. Rail shipment of oil is way down because of pricing. It will eventually be back up.
The Westland, PA, Washington Co., Marcellous/Utica Shale Gas collection point, with it's rail yard loading facilities is capable of 100 cars a day. Serviced by Pittsburgh and Lake Erie RR, some of loaded cars from Westland are moved to the Rook yard, west of Pittsburgh, Greentree area. It was mentioned that some of the product is off loaded to tank trucks there. Market value, less transportation cost, most likely determines destination. IMO.
a lot of the oil trains NS is running wind up here in NJ on the Port Reading secondary, which runs through to the 'chemical coast', a cute euphemism for the refinerys along the Arthur Kill from Sewaren up to near Port Newark.
