New US West-to-East Crudeline Project studied

The nine-company Grand Valley Pipeline Study Group is considering a west-to-east pipeline project which would: move crude from the Port of Long Beach, California, to Salt Lake City and other mountain refining areas; have an initial capacity of 55,000 bbl/day; use the Four Corners pipeline, operated by Atlantic Richfield Co., to move crude to the Pure Transportation Co. line in southeastern Utah; reverse the flow of the Pure line to move the crude north about 70 mi; involve construction of only 168 mi of new 16 in. line from the Pure line to the Rangeley/Salt Lake City line operated by Chevron Pipeline Co.; and use the Chevron line to move crude west to Salt Lake City. According to L.L. Collmann of Gary Energy Co. (one of the participating companies) who heads the study group, the project is needed because of dwindling crude supplies for mountain state refineries and because the Amoco Pipeline Co. line into Salt Lake City is operating at capacity. Seven of the nine companies participating in the study have refineries which could be served by the proposed pipeline system. Atlantic Richfield Co., Union Oil Co. of California, and Phillips Petroleum Co. are among the participants.