RailRoadFan.com

I have a question that a few of you might be able to assist me with. A few of you have assisted me with similar questions in the past: Doktor Know, Raildude's Dad, Standard Railfan, PatZ, or anyone else.

Koch Refineries used a tank farm in Elberta, MI (across from Frankfort) to store asphalt up until 2004. They would ship up to 28 barges a year from a refinery in Indiana.

How many tons of asphalt were shipped to Elberta annually?

I have done some research and this is what I think I know but would appreciate confirmation:
- Each barge could carry 268,000 barrels of asphalt
- A barrel of asphalt = 31-55 gallons
- There are approximately 230-250 gallons of asphalt in a ton
- If my math is right it should be 1,344,467 tons per year. [268,000brls x 43gal / 240gal x 28barges]

Also, there was a dozen tanks vary in size from 30,000 to four million gallons but I do not think this is a factor in trying to determine the annually tons per year shipped.

Thank you gentlemen

I had a conversation with our BitMat salesman back in those days. Western Michigan asphalt cement, seal coat oil etc came from Frankfort. He said the barges came from Green Bay. I was assuming it was come from Whiting IN. He said no. Green Bay, some kind of agreement between BP and Koch.

I remember seeing barges at the oil dock but I really have no idea what kind of volume they handled.

Sorry.