Meridian Energy Group on Wednesday received a favorable decision in its quest to build a 55,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Billings County, North Dakota. Via the Dickinson Press, county commissioners voted to rezone more than 715 acres of land selected for the site from agricultural to industrial use.
Meridian CEO William Prentice said he was “grateful” for the decision, but acknowledged some challenges ahead in completing the refinery. Meridian must also obtain air quality and water quality permits in order to build the $500 million refinery.
Prentice said in the June/July 2016 issue of BIC Magazine his company regards all challenges anticipated in building the refinery to be “manageable.” He said the refinery would be built in two phases — an initial phase of 27,500 barrels per day, with the full capacity coming on line about 12-18 months later.
It will be only the second greenfield refinery built in the U.S. since 1976.
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