06.29.15

Hoeven: Dakota Prairie Diesel Refinery Important Part of Nation's Energy Infrastructure

Senator Worked to Build Strong Business Climate, Continues Effort to Pass States-First National Energy Policy

DICKINSON, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today joined officials from MDU Resources Group, Inc. and Calumet Specialty Products Partners at the grand opening of the new $425 million Dakota Prairie Diesel Refinery in southwestern North Dakota. The senator has been working to build a good business climate in the state to grow the economy and attract investment like this facility, which is the first greenfield fuels refinery built in the U.S. in nearly 40 years.

“The Dakota Prairie Diesel Refinery is helping us process crude right in the heart of our state’s oil producing region,” said Hoeven. “This facility is a good example of the energy infrastructure that our nation needs to build a brighter energy future. We’ve worked hard to build the right business climate to attract good investments, like this facility. Now, we continue working to encourage investment in infrastructure to grow domestic energy production, create good jobs and help to make our nation energy secure.” 

As a member of the Senate Energy and Resources Committee, the senator is working to pass a states-first, energy policy for the nation. Hoeven energy measures include:

  • Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline. Hoeven is leading the Senate effort to approve the pipeline. The senator’s bipartisan legislation providing congressional approval was passed by the Senate by 62 to 35. Although the President vetoed the legislation, Hoeven continues working to approve the project and to encourage investment in energy infrastructure.
  • The Empower States Act. This Hoeven initiative would ensure that states retain the right to manage hydraulic fracturing and gives them the ability to respond first to any violation.
  • Streamlining BLM Permitting. The senator worked to include a measure in the Interior Appropriations bill that directs the Bureau of Land Management to work with states to find options for streamlining the permitting on federal land.
  • Rights-of-way approvals on Tribal Land: Hoeven also included a provision in the Interior Appropriations bill to help reduce flaring and capture more natural gas on reservations. The bill presses BLM to advance reservation-wide fair market appraisals to provide fair market values for future rights-of-way applications on energy-affected tribal lands. Current market appraisals would reflect the true value of the property, attract investment and increase the amount of revenue collected from royalties for both the tribe and allotted landowners.

The senator helped to break ground for the Dakota Prairie Diesel Refinery in March 2013 and joined company officials to review construction on the plant in August 2013. The facility began commercial production in early May 2015. The refinery is currently processing 20,000 barrels of Bakken crude oil and producing about 7,000 barrels of diesel fuel, 6,500 barrels of naphtha and 6,000 barrels of atmospheric tower bottoms (ATBs) per day.

The Dakota Prairie Refinery is built on 318 acres west of Dickinson and according to company officials will employ approximately 80 people. The facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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