MDU Resources Group considering refinery in Minot; study determining if project is feasible

A multi-state utility company based in Bismarck is considering building an oil refinery in Minot.

MDU Resources Group is hoping to establish a new plant similar to the one it's building near Dickinson. Construction could start as early as next year if a study determines the project is feasible, spokesman Tim Rasmussen told the Minot Daily News (http://bit.ly/1vaXyrf ).

"We feel good about the market. There's a great demand for diesel in North Dakota, both from the ag sector and energy producers in western North Dakota," he said.

The company has yet to identify potential business partners or choose a location for the proposed facility. Proximity to necessary infrastructure, such as railways, highways and utility services, will factor into the decision of the site, Rasmussen said.

The Minot refinery would create jobs for between 80 and 90 people.

MDU Resources Group is wrapping up construction of the $350 million Dakota Prairie Refinery, in a partnership with Indianapolis-based Calumet Specialty Products. Production of diesel fuel, naphtha and atmospheric bottoms is expected to being at the plant next month.

The only refinery operating in North Dakota is the Tesoro Corp. facility at Mandan. A $450 million refinery is in the works on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, and a Canadian company is considering a $200 million refinery at Devils Lake.

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Information from: Minot Daily News, http://www.minotdailynews.com