Cleveland (Nov. 12, 2024) — Superior Energy Systems has completed rail terminals for 4J Energy, LLC in DeQueen, Arkansas and McAlester, Oklahoma 4J Energy has extensive logistics and marketing experience with best-in-class midstream solutions and over a century of experience handling multiple commodities, including propane.
The terminals each provide 90,000 gallons of onsite storage and will meet a strategic need for 4J Energy by providing propane to previously underserved markets, especially in the winter months. Each of the terminals includes two rail unloading towers and one truck loading station. The McAlester site allows transport trucks and bobtails to load on the truck scale, eliminating the truck weigh-in and out process and decreasing fill time. Both locations have the ability to fill a transport truck in about 25 minutes.
“We are excited to see these two terminals come online,” said Derek Rimko, vice president of operations for Superior Energy Systems. “Building two terminals simultaneously in different states can be challenging but our engineering and logistics teams did an excellent job of managing these projects. 4J Energy is now able to serve two growing propane markets.”
A propane rail terminal commonly refers to a large propane storage facility that is designed and located to fill gaps in the supply infrastructure, helping to get propane where it needs to be. Superior Energy Systems engineers and builds fully automated, secure and safe propane terminals that play a crucial role in efficiently delivering propane to underserved markets. The 4J Energy propane terminals are fully automated and can operate 24/7, making it easy for transport trucks to load at any time.
The Arkansas terminal operates alongside the DeQueen and Eastern Railroad, a Class III short-line railroad located in southwest Arkansas and owned by Patriot Rail Company of Jacksonville, Florida. The Oklahoma terminal operates off the Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad Company, a family-owned Class III railroad. In addition to offloading railcars and loading transports, 4J Energy can utilize railcars for additional propane storage when needed.
“We began testing the propane market in both the Arkansas and Oklahoma locations with a temporary transloader, which gave us the ability to gauge the demand in the area,” said Lucas Malicoate, director of mid-continent NGL and crude marketing for 4J Energy. “We then solidified the need and chose Superior Energy Systems for the terminal builds. They have been an excellent partner throughout the projects, and we are impressed with the quality of the terminals.”
