Refinery Project Helping Local Economy

News On 6

CATOOSA, OK -- A huge refinery project has brought in millions for Tulsa's economy. Workers are loading huge gasoline refining heaters onto barges at the Port of Catoosa this weekend.

Petro-Chem Development says building the refinery heaters has provided work for at least a couple hundred people over the last year and half.

"This is huge. This has brought between 15 and 20 million dollars of income in the Tulsa area. It's a great boom for the Tulsa economy. And, it's gonna be a great boom for the nation's economy too," said Jim Morehead.

The heaters are headed to Port Arthur, Texas, an area hit hard by recent hurricanes.

The nation's largest refinery expansion in the last three decades is underway there.

Petro-Chem says that means more gasoline production here in the U.S. But, the company wouldn't speculate whether it'll lower gas prices.