ENERGY ON THE MOVE:
OIL & GAS TRANSPORTATION IN THE GREAT LAKES
A WORKSHOP FOR JOURNALISTS
MAY 18 & 19, 2015
WHITING, INDIANA (GREATER CHICAGO)
The BP refinery in Whiting. Photo courtesy BP.
This workshop explored the latest developments in energy transport in the Great Lakes, home to a growing network of oil pipelines, a pinch point for oil trains and the site of refineries that turn heavy crude from Alberta and North Dakota into finished petroleum products.
With a home base on the shore of Lake Michigan, the two-day workshop featured a key component of IJNR programming - getting journalists out into the field. Participating journalists had the opportunity to:
Visit a south Chicago neighborhood that is playing host to a growing number of oil trains, and ask questions about how this traffic impacts air quality and potentially puts residents at risk in the event of a derailment.
Discuss the BP refinery in Whiting, IN, and learn more about the science of refined petroleum and the impact of refineries on neighboring communities and watersheds.
Talk pipeline safety and shipping at one of North America’s biggest pipeline hubs.
Discuss the world’s thirst for fossil fuels, the impacts of their continued use and the sustainability of petroleum-based energy.