U.S. refineries are the most complex in the world, allowing them to extract more value out of each barrel of oil than any other refining system globally. This competitive edge is made possible by access to global markets.
The United States is the now largest producer of crude oil and has the largest, most complex and most efficient refining industry in the world. Yet two of our most important oil trading partners are those that share our borders: Canada and Mexico.
It was 2010 and Jerry Wascom, ExxonMobil’s Americas refining director, was worried. Despite fuel and petrochemical manufacturers making significant improvements in the safety of their individual operations, across the industries there was an uptick in serious incidents. Workers were getting injured, surrounding communities were losing confidence, the reputation of the industries was being tarnished and regulators were becoming increasingly engaged. Wascom turned to his counterparts within the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association (AFPM), the industry trade group, and asked, “Are we doing enough to protect people?”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members in the House and Senate, led by Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, sent a letter this week to President Trump urging him to address issues of unfair market access for U.S. energy companies doing business in Mexico. Chet Thompson, President and CEO of AFPM, echoed these calls with the following statement.
Before the pandemic hit, the nation’s manufacturing sector — including the refining and petrochemical industries — was wrestling with how to find and train enough young people to replace the wave of Baby Boomers retiring from the workforce at a rate of nearly 6,000 per day.
America’s refining and petrochemical community employs and supports over three million people, hiring individuals from all education levels to fill a wide range of positions (such as welders, electricians, chemists, and engineers).
March is Women’s History Month, and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) has two upcoming opportunities for the women in our industry to network and connect with their peers. Women...
A recent Pew study found that seven-in-ten Americans now use social media. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Social media has existed for the better part of 15 years. It is entrenched in our societal fabric.
AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson and API President and CEO Mike Sommers sent a letter to President Biden responding to recent letters the Administration sent to major U.S. fuel refiners suggesting that these companies, their workforces and facilities throughout the country aren’t doing their part to bring fuel to the market and lower energy costs for consumers.
We are surprised and disappointed by the President’s letter. Any suggestion that U.S. refiners are not doing our part to bring stability to the market is false. We would encourage the Administration to look inward to better understand the role their policies and hostile rhetoric have played in the current environment.
