[Federal Register: May 17, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 96)]
[Notices]               
[Page 31301]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17my00-28]                         

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zone Board

[Docket 19-2000]

 
Foreign-Trade Zone 165--Midland, TX; Application for Subzone, 
Phillips Petroleum Company (Oil Refinery Complex), Borger, TX

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the City of Midland, grantee of FTZ 165, requesting 
special-purpose subzone status for the oil refinery complex of Phillips 
Petroleum Company, located in Borger, Texas. The application was 
submitted pursuant to the provisions of the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as 
amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), and the regulations of the Board (15 CFR 
part 400). It was formally filed on May 3, 2000.
    The refinery complex (130,000 BPD capacity, 246 storage tanks with 
10.3 million barrel capacity) is located at two sites in Borger, Texas: 
Site 1 (6,045 acres)--main refinery complex, located at Spur 119 North, 
Borger; Site 2 (585 acres)--crude oil tank farm, located on Highway 
136, Borger, 5 miles north of the main refinery complex. The refinery 
is used to produce fuels, liquid petroleum gases, and refinery by-
products including gasoline, jet fuel, aviation gas, distillates, 
residual fuels, naphthas, motor fuel blendstocks, butane, isobutane, 
butadiene, propane, benzene, toluene, xylene, acyclic and cyclic 
hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide, carbon black oil, petroleum coke, 
asphalt and sulfur. Some 10 percent of the crude oil (60 percent of 
inputs) is sourced from abroad. The application also indicates that the 
company may in the future import under FTZ procedures some naphthas, 
virgin gas oil, natural gas condensate and motor fuel blendstocks.
    Zone procedures would exempt the refinery from Customs duty 
payments on the foreign products used in its exports. On domestic 
sales, the company would be able to choose the Customs duty rates that 
apply to certain petrochemical feedstocks and refinery by-products 
(duty-free) by admitting incoming foreign crude in non-privileged 
foreign status. The duty rates on inputs range from 5.25 cents/barrel 
to 10.5 cents/barrel. The application indicates that the savings from 
zone procedures would help improve the refinery's international 
competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, a member of the FTZ 
staff has been designated examiner to investigate the application and 
report to the Board.
    Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at the address below. The closing period for their receipt is 
July 17, 2000. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day 
period to July 31, 2000.
    A copy of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:

Office of the Port Director, U.S. Customs Service, 10801 Airport Blvd., 
Amarillo, TX 79111
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zone Board, Room 4008, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20230

    Dated: May 7, 2000.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-12327 Filed 5-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P