Refinery equipment arrives in Billings from Okla.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — While officials debated the safety of hauling huge loads of equipment from Idaho into Montana, an oversized load of refinery equipment made a two-month trip from Oklahoma to south-central Montana.

The huge piece of equipment arrived at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Lockwood Wednesday night, The Billings Gazette reported. It left Tulsa, Okla., on Oct. 18 and was hauled by Oregon-based Emmert International.

Emmert spokesman Greg Brooks said the top speed for the load was about 20 mph and travel was sometimes hampered by snow, ice and poor visibility. The 600,000-pound load measured 215 feet long, just over 24 feet tall and 25 feet wide.

Montana Department of Transportation Chief Operations Officer Dwane Kailey said the department received no public comments on Exxon Mobil's permit application to move the cylindrical vessel.

That's not the case as Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips seek to move similar-sized loads from the Port of Lewiston in Idaho into Montana.

ConocoPhillips is seeking permits to haul four large loads of refinery equipment from Lewiston, Idaho to Billings, while Exxon Mobil is seeking permits to haul more than 200 loads of equipment from Lewiston, Idaho through northwestern Montana to an oil-sands project in Alberta, Canada.

BILLINGS — While officials debated the safety of hauling huge loads of equipment from Idaho into Montana, an oversized load of refinery equipment made a two-month trip from Oklahoma to south-central Montana.

The huge piece of equipment arrived at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Lockwood Wednesday night, The Billings Gazette reported. It left Tulsa, Okla., on Oct. 18 and was hauled by Oregon-based Emmert International.

Emmert spokesman Greg Brooks said the top speed for the load was about 20 mph and travel was sometimes hampered by snow, ice and poor visibility. The 600,000-pound load measured 215 feet long, just over 24 feet tall and 25 feet wide.

Montana Department of Transportation Chief Operations Officer Dwane Kailey said the department received no public comments on Exxon Mobil's permit application to move the cylindrical vessel.

That's not the case as Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips seek to move similar-sized loads from the Port of Lewiston in Idaho into Montana.

ConocoPhillips is seeking permits to haul four large loads of refinery equipment from Lewiston, Idaho to Billings, while Exxon Mobil is seeking permits to haul more than 200 loads of equipment from Lewiston, Idaho through northwestern Montana to an oil-sands project in Alberta, Canada.