The Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub (CEI Hub) is a six-mile area in Northwest Portland along the Willamette River that is home to approximately 630 fuel tanks that have a combined active storage tank capacity of at least 350.6 million gallons. The CEI Hub facilities are crucial parts of Oregon’s fossil fuel infrastructure — over 90 percent of the state’s liquid fuel supply is transported through CEI Hub facilities, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
A Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake would result in damage to CEI Hub infrastructure, including fuel releases in the river, ground, and air. The proximity of the CEI hub to natural assets, like the Willamette River and Columbia River, and the dense urban core in the City of Portland, make the risk of accident, spill, or major failures due to a seismic event particularly concerning. Together with Hart Crowser and Enduring Econometrics, ECONorthwest evaluated the likely quantities of fuel releases, the damages and costs of those releases, and the potential liability to pay for those costs. This project was completed for the City of Portland and Multnomah County.
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