CHS expands western propane infrastructure with new Colorado terminal

The new Yuma terminal features two loading stations, 24-hour access and capacity for 12 rail cars. (Photo: CHS Inc.)

CHS Inc. opened a new propane rail terminal in Yuma, Colorado, for use by propane marketers.

The location of the new propane facility will help propane marketers in eastern Colorado, western Nebraska and western Kansas avoid long trips to the Conway, Kansas, propane hub, according to CHS.

“We’ve been searching for ways to support this area for years, and we were determined to ensure this region had access to a central, reliable supply,” says Scott Pearson, vice president of CHS Propane. “Before this terminal came online, some of our customers have had to make an eight or 10-hour trip to fill a transport load of propane.”

Supply chain disruptions, recent gas plant closures and the transition at a nearby refinery to produce renewable diesel impact the consistency of local product supply, while driver shortages have created an added challenge in a region where securing product can require a long haul, CHS explains.

“A new resource like this is going to help me keep my customers supplied, even at the height of the heating season,” says David Dodson, vice president of energy for Ag Valley Co-op in Edison, Nebraska.

“This new supply point will go a long way in easing the bottlenecks we’re seeing in our supply chain system at the lift points currently available to us,” adds Jess Wimmer, petroleum division manager for WESTCO in Alliance, Nebraska. “With big demand and long lines for limited supply at critical times, it’s exciting to see this relief coming to the region.”

CHS has access to propane supply at more than 150 terminals in 40 states and five Canadian provinces. The new Yuma terminal features two loading stations, 24-hour access and capacity for 12 rail cars for shorter transport load times.

“This terminal allows CHS to continue to be a dependable supplier and make the process of lifting gallons faster, easier and more convenient, especially for those in the heart of America,” Pearson says.