Mile 87.0 - LBD Murphy Oil USA, Meraux Refinery
87.0 LBD Murphy Oil USA, Meraux Refinery
The Meraux refinery was originally constructed in the 1920’s. It is situated on 550 acres. The refinery has a capacity of 135,000 barrels per day and the processes include a 34,000 barrel-per-day (BPD) hydrocracker, 41,000 BPD high-pressure hydro-treater, 12,000 BPD DAO hydro-treater, 21,000 BPD ROSE and 38,000 BPD fluidized cat cracker. The refinery produces primarily gasoline and distillate, but also petrochemicals, LPG, fuel oil and other materials.
There is a low shelf of sand below Murphy Oil docks, maybe good to stretch your legs or get out of the wind and waves for a minute. But you will not want to camp here for all of the foul aromas wafting around this section of river. Keep on downstream to Twelve Mile Point or Shingle Point.
The Meraux refinery was originally constructed in the 1920’s. It is situated on 550 acres. The refinery has a capacity of 135,000 barrels per day and the processes include a 34,000 barrel-per-day (BPD) hydrocracker, 41,000 BPD high-pressure hydro-treater, 12,000 BPD DAO hydro-treater, 21,000 BPD ROSE and 38,000 BPD fluidized cat cracker. The refinery produces primarily gasoline and distillate, but also petrochemicals, LPG, fuel oil and other materials. Toxic Releases (TRI) for 2013 in pounds: Valero Refining Meraux: Air: 216,786; Water: 36,410. (Paul Orr)
Poydras Bend/English Turn Bend Green Space
Ten miles below New Oleans you will leave the intense concentration of wharves, docks and refineries behind for the return of tree-lined banks and deep forests on either side. This is the return of the “river illusion.” A quick look at Google Earth will show you that even though this area is inhabited by a few neighborhoods and pockets of industry, it is mostly deep woods. This big chunk of intact floodplain takes on even greater value by its proximity to the city of New Orleans. From river view (eg: the seat of your kayak or canoe) it looks and feels like a return to the open waters and big woods of the Mississippi that you have grown accustomed to before Baton Rouge. The river makes a 270 degree bend around a huge bulge of land below the Algier’s Canal we are calling “Poydras Point” for lack of better identification. Poydras Bend resolves into English Turn Bend and makes a tight turn in excess of 90 degrees around Shingle Point. Within this big green space you will find the best camping below New Orleans at Twelve Mile Point or Shingle Point. Sandbars are formed here in low water, below 8 NO gage. There is a public boat on the West Bank near RBD mile 78. Navy jets fly overhead from nearby Belle Chasse Naval base. Some points of interest over the river bank include a Buddhist Meditation Center, Plantation Athletic Club, Life Ministries, Docville Farm, and an artist’s retreat called “A Studio in the Woods.”