This week, the Columbiana County Port Authority brought Marathon Petroleum Co. closer to building a transfer station at the Wellsville Intermodal Park. The board of directors approved a $2.4 million land purchase agreement for 3.6 acres.  Marathon expects around 200 trucks to use the station daily.

Port Authority CEO Tracy Drake explained the station’s use:

This truck terminal will allow Marathon to bring in liquids from local fields to take to their tanks, and then they’ll go by barge to refineries. That will save the village of Wellsville several hundred trucks a day going to through the village–Tracy Drake (Columbiana Port OKs Land Purchase for Marathon, 1/22/13)

The Wellsville Intermodal Park has been in development since the 1990s, and is now living up to its potential – all thanks to shale development.  Like Marathon, other companies are using the great location for transportation to refineries.  Throughout 2012, companies have made Wellsville their home including Anchor Drilling Fluids USA Inc. and Cimbar Performance Materials. 

With only a few acres left at the facility and talks of expanding, Wellsville has taken full advantage of shale development’s impact.  The park was complete in August after ten years of development and more than $5 million invested.  Completion came after the development of a 60-ton overhead river crane, bulk cargo handling, and access to railroad and highway.  Drake believes the business coming to the park shows a bigger picture:

I think it’s just an indication of how this industry, that is the oil shale industry, is going to change this region–Tracy Drake (Youngstown Business Journal, 11/19/12)

Shale development is bringing jobs and business back to area’s of Ohio that suffered from economic stagnation for decades.  Marathon and the Columbiana Port Authority’s agreement shows investment won’t end with exploration.  As the industry continues to expand it’s efforts in midstream development, more companies will be making their way to Ohio to take advantage of our geological gift,  and the opportunities it affords.

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