Dakota Prairie Refining LLC, a joint venture of MDU Resources Group Inc., Bismarck, ND, and its 50-50 partner Calumet Specialty Produces Partners LP, Indianapolis, has started the first sales of commercial diesel from production at its recently commissioned refinery in North Dakota (OGJ Online, Feb. 7, 2013).
The refinery, which has ramped up to its crude processing design capacity of 20,000 b/d, began diesel sales on May 15, MDU Resources said.
The company said it expects June will be the first month that the refinery operates at its full crude processing capacity to maintain its diesel production capacity of 7,000 b/d.
In addition to its diesel output, the refinery also will produce about 6,500 b/d of naphtha, 6,000 b/d of atmospheric tower bottoms, and 300 b/d of NGLs, the company said.
The company also is evaluating the potential for implementing modifications at the refinery designed to increase the plant’s crude throughput capacity, said David L. Goodin, president and chief executive of MDU Resources.
MDU Resources also continues to evaluate its previously announced plan to develop a second 20,000-b/d refinery near Minot, ND, according to Goodin (OGJ Online, Jan. 9, 2015).
Designed to process locally sourced Bakken crude, the Dakota refinery began its first production of diesel in early May (OGJ Online, May 4, 2015).
The plant, which required an investment of $425-435 million, is the first greenfield refinery to be built in the US since 1976.
