September 19, 2014 [OPIS] - United Riverhead Terminal, a subsidiary of United Refining, is planning to convert two storage tanks with a total capacity of 150,000 bbl at its 5.2-million-bbl capacity terminal in Long Island, New York, to gasoline, Scott Kamm, general manager at that terminal, told OPIS on Friday.
The conversion is an emergency contingency plan for hurricane impacts in that area, he said.
In late 2012, the New York metro area, including Long Island, was hit by severe gasoline supply outages due to logistics issues caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Kamm said that the gasoline tank conversion project is now in the permitting stage, and the permits could be issued in December. The new gasoline tanks could be up and running next June-July in time for the peak hurricane season of 2015.
In addition, the United Riverhead Terminal is now storing heating oil as well as No. 6 fuel oil.
That Long Island terminal was the only terminal operating right after Hurricane Sandy, Kamm said.
United Refining operates a 70,000-b/d refinery in Warren, Pa., and United Metro Energy is a major heating oil supplier in the New York metro area.
