<article><p class="lead">Lock and dam closures will block vessel transit and curb southbound Illinois river petroleum coke shipments for part of 2023.</p><p>Closures at the Brandon Road, Dresden Island and Marseilles locks and dams are planned from 1 June through 30 September, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The closures threaten to hinder coke transport by barge from some midcontinent refineries. </p><p>Major carrier American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has set final barge departure dates from terminals along the Illinois from 17-24 May, depending on origin. </p><p>The work is part of a Corps plan to repair eight lock and dam sites waterway. The repair schedule included a brief closure in 2019 followed by an extended closure in 2020, forcing ExxonMobil's 240,000 b/d Joliet refinery to rely on rail and truck transportation for coke shipments, a source said. Some coke was also held in temporary storage. </p><p>The refinery is planning to manage coke shipments and storage in the same way during next year's lock and dam closures, the source said. </p><p>Other coke-producing refineries north of the affected locks and dams include the 167,000 b/d Citgo Lemont and 430,000 b/d BP Whiting refineries, which may also need to make adjustments to coke shipments. </p><p>"Everyone is getting ready" and working out plans of how best to manage the closures, another source said. </p><p><a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2379458">Historically low water levels on the Mississippi river have already been slowing petroleum coke shipments by barge recently</a>, with barge groundings resulting in delays and barges having to be loaded more lightly.</p><p class="bylines">By Delaney Ramirez</p></article>
