Koch proposes new pipeline for North Dakota oil

Koch Pipeline Company is proposing a new pipeline to move oil from western North Dakota to Illinois and on to eastern U.S. gulf coast refineries.

The Dakota Express Pipeline would begin service in 2016 and be able to move  250,000 barrels (about 10 million gallons) of oil per day.  The pipeline would provide a more efficient means to transporting oil from the Williston Basin and Bakken oil field of North Dakota, according to a statement from Koch.  Much of oil produced in North Dakota is now transported by rail to refineries.

The first phase of the project is a 45-day period to solicit interest from shippers.  If there’s enough interest, the company will secure contracts and pursue construction permits.

According to materials provided by the company, the project would involve some new pipeline construction and reversing the flow of an existing pipeline. The existing Woods Hole pipeline has historically transported oil from Illinois to St. Paul.  As part of the Dakota Express project, that pipeline would instead move oil from St. Paul to Illinois.

Koch declined a request for an interview about the project.

• Editor’s notebook: Covering the environment in 2014
• Best of Minnesota Scenes from 2014
• 50 years of memory making in the Boundary Waters
• ‘Fargo’ takes home two Emmys