Shiogama Terminal Near Sendai, Japan, Reopens

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources East Asia (Kofu-shi, Japan)--Shiogama terminal district, located in Miyagi prefecture just to the northeast of Sendai, officially restarted operations Tuesday, March 22, when TonenGeneral Sekiyu Incorporated (TYO:5012) (Tokyo), a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) (Irving, Texas), reopened its terminals to receive its first shipment from the 335,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Kawasaki, Kanagawa, refinery. TonenGeneral's Kawasaki refinery was largely unaffected by the March 11 earthquake and resumed operations early last week. To date, it has received 4,000 kiloliters of gasoline, 3,000 kiloliters of kerosene and 1,000 kiloliters of diesel.

The Shiogama terminal is divided into several sections owned by different companies. Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited (TYO:5019) (Tokyo) has also reopened its terminals. The decision to reopen the Idemitsu and TonenGeneral terminals was not that of the companies, but rather that of the Petroleum Association of Japan to bring much-needed petroleum products into the Tohoku region. This area suffered the most damage from March 11's earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Since March 22, the Shiogama terminal has received products not only from TonenGeneral's Kawasaki refinery, but also from Idemitsu and JX Nippon Oil and Energy Corporation (TYO:5001) (Tokyo). JX has no terminals in Shiogama, but is shipping products to the Idemitsu terminal. To date, the Idemitsu terminal has received 9,000 kiloliters of products from Idemitsu's own refineries, as well as 2,000 kiloliters worth of product from JX.

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