Ensolum was proud to be recognized with our client, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, by San Juan County, New Mexico for the demolition of a former refinery and crude station. The former Giant Bloomfield Refinery operated from 1974 to 1982 approximately 5 miles west of Bloomfield, New Mexico producing gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other petroleum products until it became inactive. The property and abandoned equipment were sold to Marathon in 2019 as part of a larger asset acquisition. For over 42 years, the former refining equipment was left idle, with the property being used mostly as a bone yard for collection of old and broken equipment from other facilities. The property is situated on the northeast corner of US Highway 64 and County Road 3500, one of the busiest intersections in San Juan County. The prominence of the old tanks and rusting equipment became an eyesore for the community and, in some cases, a target for trespassers and vandals.
Only 7 miles away, the similarly inactive Bloomfield Crude Station was constructed within the city limits. The approximately 5.5-acre property was originally leased for oil and gas development in 1929, then later used as a bulk storage facility, housing several process units and storage tanks. Most recently, Giant Industries used it for product storage and a staging yard for pipeline construction and trucking before selling it to Marathon in the same 2019 acquisition. The inactive equipment contained in a fenced dirt lot did not complement the surrounding residential development.
In 2023, Marathon and Ensolum initiated a plan for demolition, starting with an inventory of the abandoned equipment and regulated waste materials at both locations. NorthStar Demolition and Remediation, Inc. began demolition at the end of July 2024 with oversight provided by Ensolum. Approximately 90% of the demolition was completed by December 2024, and the project was finalized in February 2025.
The impact of this work was immediate, removing potentially harmful materials and eliminating visual eyesores in populated areas. Our efforts were recognized by the community, including residents, drivers-by, and governments. Aside from the obvious initial benefits, there now exists potential for longer term environmental benefits as the sites are reclaimed and restored.
