State of Oregon: Safety & Resilience - Diversification of Oregon's Liquid Fuel Storage Screening Tool

SB 1567 directed the Oregon Department of Energy to prepare an Energy Security Plan for the state. As part of the plan, the ODOE has developed geospatial screening tool to assess the viability of existing fuel storage sites as potential candidates for fuel diversification and increased storage.

ODOE and a contractor team collaborated to develop a Fuel Site Screening Tool to assess the viability of existing fuel storage sites as potential candidates for fuel diversification and increased storage. Every regulated fuel storage tank in Oregon was mapped in a GIS database using permit data from DEQ and the Oregon State Fire Marshal's office.

Underground fuel storage tanks are permitted and regulated by DEQ, while aboveground fuel storage tanks are permitted and regulated by OSFM. The tool includes specific factors such as mapped hazard areas as well as interpretive ranking, which allows the analyst to preferentially weight factors such as prioritizing government-owned facilities. A detailed report describing the tool is available for download.

If a government entity would like ODOE to evaluate fuel expansion at their sites, please send a request via email to ODOE_Fuel@energy.oregon.gov.

Background

In 2022, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 1567. This legislation resulted from recommendations identified in an Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Committee fuel report, published in 2019. The bill has two major components: 1) directs the Oregon Department of Energy to prepare the Energy Security Plan in accordance with federal requirements, and to also evaluate additional fuel resilience strategies; and 2) directs the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to regulate seismic resilience of certain large fuel tanks. DEQ has largely completed its requirements, and the adopted rules are available online.

Fuel storage capacity across the state, whether owned by the private or public sector, is adequate to meet regular operational needs. However, during emergencies, if fuel resupply is impacted, fuel shortages can arise and hamper emergency response functions. Furthermore, the fuel storage capacity that currently exists – specifically fuels available for emergency response and recovery operations – is expected to be severely affected in the case of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. The risk is most acute in western Oregon, but Central and Eastern Oregon will also be affected by a major earthquake due to impacts to fuel distribution systems and supply lines, as most fuel in Oregon is delivered from the Portland or Eugene fuel terminals.

RESOURCES

SB 1567

Energy Security Plan

Oregon Fuel Action Plan

Energy Planning

Energy Storage

Energy Assurance Plan

Screening Tool Report

Government entities that would like ODOE to evaluate fuel expansion at their sites can contact: ODOE_Fuel@energy.oregon.gov