One of the societal byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been an increased emphasis on technology to meet changing needs, and the fuel and petrochemical industries are no exception to that trend.
Coronavirus developments are front of mind for everyone, including the staff at AFPM. We took a moment to speak with Jeff Gunnulfsen, senior director, security and risk management, about industry preparedness for the pandemic.
Beyond digitization (converting analog information to digital) and digitalization (the technology-driven shift to business processes) lies digital transformation.
COVID-19 upended energy markets. Demand disappeared and producers scaled back. Now that economies are reopening, and the demand for goods and services is rebounding, the demand for energy all along the supply chain is increasing, driving up not only the cost of the feedstocks and fuels refineries and petrochemical manufacturers use, but also the cost of the energy used at every step of the supply chain.
As Hurricane Lane, currently a Category 2 storm, makes its way towards Hawaii, our priority today is supporting Par Pacific Holdings, which is temporarily shutting down its 93,500 barrel per day refinery in Kapolei, on the island of Oahu, to ensure the safety of workers, and the community and environment surrounding the facility.
The unprecedented disaster wrought by Hurricane Harvey has the safety of friends, family, colleagues and communities along the Gulf Coast weighing heavy on our minds and hearts.
Fuel supply restrictions resulting from hurricanes and other natural disasters, often lead to price increases as the market reacts to rebalance supply and demand. To protect consumers, many states have enacted price gouging laws that limit a merchant’s ability to raise prices during an emergency.