By Cathy Dobson, The Observer www.theobserver.ca
ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP – Provident Energy has purchased nearly the entire former Dow site at LaSalle Line and Highway 40 and plans to invest $27 million in the 1,000-acre property.
The company, Canada’s second largest handler of natural gas liquids, currently employs 14 people on the site.
Six are former Dow employees, said Randy Alwood, senior manager of Provident Energy’s Corunna operations.
“There could be as many as 17 by next year.”
Provident saw an opportunity to utilize Dow’s vacated underground salt cavern storage, Alwood said. Three of 21 caverns on the site are now in use and the company intends to use all of them as demand grows.
An open house was hosted by Provident Thursday at the Corunna Legion to answer questions from the community.
Provident requires rezoning from light industrial to heavy industrial use on a portion of the property. That application goes before council Nov. 1.
However, plans are already underway for $17 million in upgrades to be complete by the end of this year. They include replacing the railway facility, installing product dryers, and a new truck loading facility.
The company plans to spend another $10 million in 2011 and complete the upgrades in March.
Liquefied petroleum gases such as ethane, propane and butane will be stored in the salt caverns. Provident officials say liquefied petroleum gases have not been stored in the Sarnia area until now.
The major customers Provident expects to serve at the new facility are from the local region.
Observer Article ID# 2773478