Plains Marketing - Bick Station (Crude Stor) - Oil Pipeline Facility in La Crosse, Kansas

Plains Marketing - Bick Station (Crude Stor) is an operational oil pipeline facility located in La Crosse, Rush County, Kansas. The facility is part of the extensive crude oil pipeline network in the United States, specifically within the Mid-Continent region. As a storage and pipeline station, it plays a key role in the aggregation and transportation of crude oil from production areas to refineries and other downstream markets. The facility operates under the regulatory oversight of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and complies with 49 CFR Part 195 for hazardous liquid pipelines. The NAICS code 486110 indicates it is classified as crude petroleum pipeline transportation. The facility's location in Kansas places it within a region with extensive crude oil pipeline infrastructure, including connections to major pipelines like the Keystone and Platte systems. Environmental and operational significance includes its role in supporting the regional energy supply chain. The facility's proximity to agricultural areas and the Smoky Hill River necessitates adherence to spill prevention and response protocols. Plains Marketing, as a major midstream operator, maintains the station to ensure reliable crude oil storage and transfer, contributing to the stability of crude oil markets in the central United States.

The facility is situated in a rural area of Rush County, Kansas, near agricultural land and the Smoky Hill River. The primary environmental considerations for oil pipeline storage facilities include the risk of spills or leaks that could impact soil and water resources. The age of the infrastructure and the effectiveness of cathodic protection systems are critical for preventing corrosion-related failures. The commodity transported is crude oil, which poses potential hazards to local ecosystems if released. Regulatory compliance with PHMSA's integrity management programs helps mitigate these risks.