The International Liquid Terminals Association held its 34th Annual International Operating Conference and Trade Show on June 2-4, in Houston, Texas. Approximately 4,400 people registered to attend, a 20 percent increase over last year. The three-day event included more than 30 conference presentations, two evening receptions, six training workshops, a day-and-a-half trade show and a golf tournament.
ILTA President Melinda Whitney
ILTA expanded its trade show to include 60 additional booths for 2014. The number of exhibiting companies was 349, representing a 19 percent increase from the previous year and the most in the history of the annual event. “Year-after-year, our event has proven to be the leading conference and trade show for terminal industry professionals,” said ILTA President Melinda Whitney. “The number of new exhibiting companies and the strong growth in overall attendance demonstrate the strength of our industry.”
More than 700 people attended the conference, which focused on a variety of operational and business topics, along with environmental, health, safety and security issues. The opening session featured James Fallon, director of Downstream Energy Consulting for IHS Global, Inc., an energy market research company. He spoke about the increase in U.S. shale production and how changes in transportation logistics are impacting the terminal industry.
Ten presentations were presented in Spanish. These presentations focused on issues impacting terminals in the Latin American market and were given by employees of several ILTA member companies based in Mexico, Panama, Columbia, Venezuela and the U.S.
The conference concluded with the keynote luncheon. Adam Steltzner, lead landing engineer for NASA Mars Laboratory’s Curiosity rover project, gave a thought-provoking presentation on how audacious goals, unbridled thinking and breakthrough innovation can make the impossible possible.
A total of 17 terminal companies were recognized during the safety awards breakfast. Two companies demonstrating exemplary safety cultures were awarded the 2014 Platinum Safety Award. CITGO Petroleum Corporation received the large terminal company award, and Blackwater Midstream Corporation received the small terminal company award.
The Safety Excellence Award was presented to 14 terminal companies that achieved a safety record of less than one injury per 100 workers in 2013. The companies are: Benchmark River and Rail Terminals; Buckeye Terminals; Demaco Terminal Operations Corporation; Enterprise Products Company; Flint Hills Resources; Intercontinental Terminals Company; LBC Houston; Marathon Petroleum Company; NuStar Energy; Petro-Diamond Terminal Company; Phillips 66; Tesoro Logistics; U.S. Venture; and Vecenergy. U.S. Venture was also recognized for having received an ILTA safety award for five consecutive years. In addition, Vopak Americas received a Safety Improvement Award for demonstrating significant improvement in its safety record over a three-year period.
The 35th Annual ILTA International Operating Conference and Trade Show is scheduled for June 1-3, 2015, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX.
Based in Arlington, VA, ILTA is an international trade association that represents over 81 owners and operators of bulk liquid terminals and aboveground storage tank facilities in all 50 states and in 46 countries. ILTA members operate more than 950 facilities consisting of about 14,000 tanks, with a global storage capacity of approximately 883 million barrels. Products handled by ILTA members include crude oil, petroleum products and a wide variety of chemicals, as well as ethanol, biodiesel, vegetable oils, molasses and fertilizers. Its membership also includes more than 350 companies that supply products and services to the bulk liquid terminal industry.
