AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: The above video was published in February 2023.
A jet fuel supplier has announced plans to build a dedicated pipeline to supply fuel to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
According to Flint Hills Resources, Austin's is the largest airport in the nation that relies on daily truck shipments for its jet fuel supply instead of a pipeline.
The company said it has supplied transportation fuel from its Corpus Christi refineries to the Austin area for more than 30 years, and it is the primary source of jet fuel for AUS. Flint Hills Resources said to supply the airport with the fuel it needs today, it requires 8,000-gallon tanker trucks to travel 40 miles roundtrip from the company's fuel terminal in Bastrop to the airport, every day, more than 100 times.
The company said the route for the proposed 10-inch diameter pipeline is still being finalized, but it is expected to originate at the Bastrop terminal. Flint Hills Resources plans to use existing public right-of-way along State Highway 71 for much of the "Bastrop-Austin Texas Pipeline" (BATX) project, to minimize property disturbances.
"Flint Hills Resources recently expanded its terminal at Bastrop to help meet demand and improve reliability of the trucking system. However, increasing demand, traffic congestion, and driver availability issues continue to push the current airport delivery system beyond its design capacity," the company said. "Without a dedicated pipeline, fuel truck deliveries will need to continue to increase to keep up with demand, based on the airport’s growth projections."
The BATX Pipeline will be owned by Flint Hills Resource affiliate BATX Pipeline, LLC, and will be privately funded, constructed and operated by Flint Hills Resources. The company said the pipeline will be designed, built and operated "according to the most advanced safety standards, including the use of cathodic protection, anti-corrosion coating, high-frequency welding, and advanced leak detection monitoring."
Once in service, Flint Hills Resources said the pipeline will be monitored continuously by the company's Central Control Station and will also be subject to standard pipeline integrity inspections and operated consistent with state and federal regulatory requirements.
Flint Hills Resources said permitting authorities for the BATX Pipeline project include Travis and Bastrop counties, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the City of Austin, the Railroad Commission of Texas and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The company said it will conduct public meetings regarding the project as part of the permitting process.
Once permitted, construction of the pipeline is expected to take approximately six months.
KVUE reached out to the Austin airport for a statement regarding the planned BATX Pipeline. AUS provided the following response:
"We are eager to learn more about the Flint Hills Resources’ Bastrop-to-Austin Pipeline project, their goals for modernizing Jet-A fuel delivery for AUS airlines and how the project will further safety, reliability and environmental stewardship for airport users and our community."
Back in February, Austin's Airport Advisory Commission stated that a new tank facility should be up and running by next October, despite concerns from environmental advocates and people who live near the airport.
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