CHS to build oil terminals in western Montana

HELENA, Mont. — CHS Inc., the nation’s largest cooperative oil refiner, announced plans Wednesday to open two new petroleum terminals in western Montana this fall to expand the availability of its gas and diesel fuel there.

A third terminal is also planned in Eastern Washington, probably in the Moses Lake area, to serve growing Pacific Northwest markets, said Lani Jordan, director of corporate communications for the Inver Grove Heights, Minn.-based company.

The terminals in Logan and Missoula are being built along the 530-mile Yellowstone Pipeline, which stretches from Billings to Spokane, and will supply Cenex gas, diesel and ethanol-blended gas from CHS’s Laurel refinery. They also could accommodate biodiesel in the future, Knepper said.

Terminals are sites used by tanker trucks and railroad cars to release fuel from a pipeline for distribution to gas stations, farms and other businesses, Jordan said.

CHS currently owns petroleum terminals in Glendive and Laurel, but was relying on terminals owned by other companies to get its gas and diesel to areas west of those sites, she said.