May 2023 was a record month for all-time shipments of urea, both truck and rail, from Dakota Gas Co.’s Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah, N.D. For three days in a row at the end of May, DGS beat previous records for urea fertilizer truck shipments. On May 25, it reached the final new all-time truck shipment record in a single day in five years of urea production at the plant, which can produce 1,100 st/d.
“Our staff has spent the last few months focused on building fertilizer inventory and getting ready for the spring sales rush,” said Dale Johnson, Basin Electric Power Cooperative Senior Vice President and Synfuels Plant Manager. “The teamwork between the plant operations, maintenance, marketing, and logistics teams has been truly impressive. Now we are seeing our hard work come to fruition. Our customers are very satisfied that we have been able to provide a high-quality product when they need it, and we are very satisfied with the economic return we are providing for the cooperative and membership.”
“The Upper Great Plains experienced extended snowfall and cooler weather through late April, which resulted in spring planting beginning in early and mid-May in many areas,” explained Dan Gallagher, Basin Electric Director of Commodity Sales and Trading. He said fertilizer shipments occurred mostly in May this year.