Piping Ethanol

KFYR.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) _ U.S. PIPELINE COMPANIES HAVE LONG DISMISSED ETHANOL AS AN INCONSEQUENTIAL AND CORROSIVE FUEL THAT COULD DAMAGE THE NATION'S ENERGY HIGHWAY.

BUT PIPELINE COMPANIES ARE NOW EYEING ETHANOL WITH INTEREST AND ATTEMPTING TO OVERCOME TECHNICAL AND LOGISTIC CHALLENGES. THEY SAY IT'S BECAUSE OF INCREASED DEMAND AND GOVERNMENT MANDATES FOR THE CORN-BASED FUEL, ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL OF LOST GASOLINE SHIPMENTS.
HOUSTON-BASED KINDER MORGAN ENERGY PARTNERS PLANS TO RUN A TEST BATCH OF ETHANOL THIS MONTH THROUGH ITS 105-MILE-LONG GASOLINE PIPELINE FROM TAMPA TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

JIM LELIO IS KINDER MORGAN'S DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. HE SAYS THE TEST WAS SPURRED BY DEMAND FROM THE COMPANY'S CUSTOMERS, AND HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR TWO YEARS.

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