Petroleum refineries: an outlook at Alaska operations.

• Author: Davidson, Paul
• Position: ALASKA TRENDS - Geographic overview

Six petroleum refineries operate in Alaska, most of which are "topping" plants that take lighter petroleum products from crude oil and inject the rest back into the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Alaskan refineries produce jet fuel, gasoline, heating oil, diesel, gas oil and asphalt. Most motor gasoline consumed instate is refined in Nikiski and North Pole, and most jet fuel consumed in-state is produced in these and three other in-state refineries. According to ConocoPhillips, Kenai's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, which exports to Japan, is the only exporting LNG terminal in North America.

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The United States Energy Information Administration records Alaska as one of six states in the West Coast data recording district known as PADD 5. The chart shows changes in the capacity of PADD 5 and utilization of that capacity from 1985 to 2011 (preliminary data is used for 2011). Capacity peaks in 2009 with 3.222 thousand barrels, then declines to a 12-year low of 2,910 thousand barrels in 2011. Utilization drops by 234 thousand barrels in 2009, and again by 209 barrels in 2011, the highest yearly changes in production in this 26-year data set.

SOURCE: State of Alaska Division of Oil and Gas, United States Energy Information Agency

Alaska Trends, an outline of significant statewide statistics, is provided by the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development.

ALASKA TRENDS Indicator Units GENERAL Personal Income-Alaska US$ Personal Income-United States us $ Consumer Prices-Anchorage 1982-1984 =100 Consumer Prices-United States 1982-1984 =100 Bankruptcies Alaska Total Number Filed Anchorage Total Number Filed Fairbanks Total Number Filed EMPLOYMENT Alaska Thousands Anchorage & Mat-Su Thousands Fairbanks Thousands Southeast Thousands Gulf Coast Thousands Sectorial Distribution-Alaska Total Nonfarm Thousands Goods Producing Thousands Services Providing Thousands Mining and Logging Thousands Mining Thousands Oil & Gas Thousands Construction Thousands Manufacturing Thousands Seafood Processing Thousands Trade/Transportation/Utilities Thousands Wholesale Trade Thousands Retail Trade Thousands Food & Beverage Stores Thousands General Merchandise Stores Thousands Trans/Warehouse/Utilities Thousands Air Transportation Thousands Truck Transportation Thousands Information Thousands Telecommunications Thousands Financial Activities Thousands Professional & Business Services Thousands Educational & Health Services Thousands Health Care Thousands Leisure & Hospitality Thousands Accommodation Thousands Food Services & Drinking Places Thousands Other Services Thousands Government Thousands Federal Government Thousands State Government Thousands State Education Thousands Local Government Thousands Local Education Thousands Tribal Government Thousands...