b'30 AZAFUELINGPhoenix-Mesa GatewayBoosts Onsite Fuel Storage BY CHRIS JONESFACTS&FIGURES Theres a simple axiom that appliesIt gives the airport and our tenants a higher Project: Fuel Farm Expansion to airport operators everywhere: Ifdegree of peace of mind.Location: Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, in AZ your fuel tanks run dry, the planesConcerns over fuel shortages arent Size: 3 above-ground tanks, each with 50,000-gal.dont fly. unwarranted. In the past three years alone, capacity Driven by a powerful desire to never findU.S. airports have experienced significant Cost: $4.5 million itself or its customers in that predicament,disruptions to their supply lines, with causes Funding: AirportPhoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA)ranging from mudslides and pipeline leaks to Design: Spring 2022 recently invested $4.5 million to increaseransomware attacks and a lack of qualified Construction/Installation: May-November 2023 onsite fuel reserves by up to 60%. drivers for fuel trucks. In addition, seasonal Last fall, the growing Arizona airportspikes in air traffic drove greater-than-New Tanks Online: Fall 2023 expected demand for Jet A and avgas.Construction Manager at Risk: KEAR Civil Corp. brought three new 50,000-gallon, above-ground fuel tanks online. The projectThe Phoenix metro area receives nearly all Master Plan Civil Engineering: Kimley Horn &increased its Jet A reserve capacity fromof its fuel from two pipelines operated by the Associates 250,000 gallonsenough for three andHouston-based Kinder Morgan Company. Master Plan Mechanical Engineering:a half days of normal operationsup toOne connects to refineries in Colton, CA; Swanson Rink 400,000 gallons. With this added storage, thethe other originates near El Paso, TX. Expansion Civil & Mechanical Engineering:busy Allegiant Air hub can now support itsThese pipelines carry aircraft fuel, as well as KEAR Civil Corp. standard mix of flights for seven to eight days.unleaded and diesel fuel for cars and trucks, Tank Management System: TMS4000, byinto a bustling depot in West Phoenix near PneumercatorIf there are disruptions, were notInterstate 10 and State Highway 202. Airport Profile: Active general aviation traffic; nonstop commercial service to 45 U.S. markets byworried that werePhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Allegiant Air & Sun Country Airlines going to run out of(PHX), the regions primary commercial 2023 Passenger Volume: Nearly 1.92 millionfuel, says J. Brianairport, receives its fuel through a smaller, Key Benefits: Increasing onsite fuel reserves byONeill, the airportsseparate pipeline the links the busy aviation 60%enough to support standard flight operationsexecutive director andhub to the depot in West Phoenix. But for 7-8 days; providing insurance against disruptionschief executive officer.J. BRIAN ONEILL adding a similar underground connection is elsewhere in supply chainOctober 2024AirportImprovement.com'