Energy Tomorrow Blog
Hurricane Update: Supporting Our Workers During Recovery
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Mary Schaper
Posted September 7, 2017
The humanitarian effort underway after Hurricane Harvey is showing Americans at their best. Communities across Texas have been battered by storm, with record-setting floods damaging or destroying more than 300,000 homes in the southeast part of the state. In Houston, home to 2.3 million people, the challenges of recovery are proving to be quite unique.
As families in one of the nation’s biggest corporate hubs began the arduous process of rebuilding, many have been able to turn to their employers for assistance. Energy companies have set up stations for employees to pick up emergency supplies, they’ve sent work crews to rip out drywall from flooded homes, and they’ve even provided helicopters to deliver water to families when the city of Beaumont’s water service failed.
Harvey Update: Supporting Our Communities
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Mary Schaper
Posted September 6, 2017
Harvey Update: Price Impacts and the Need for Patience, Consideration
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Mark Green
Posted September 6, 2017
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports on rising gasoline prices in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and notes that the storm’s impact on prices is similar to the big hurricanes of 2005, Katrina and Rita. … EIA’s report underscores a number of points we’ve been making about the oil supply chain, of which the Texas-Louisiana region is part – especially the section of that chain that shows the path of refined products from refineries to retail outlets – and the need for patience as processes come back online.
Harvey Update: Getting Our Facilities Back Online
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Mary Schaper
Posted September 5, 2017
As the waters recede, the energy industry is inspecting and assessing its facilities.The industry’s goal, as always, is to keep the marketplace well-supplied while ensuring the highest level of safety. Here’s some of the latest news as our energy infrastructure gets back online.
Harvey Update: American Spirit is Alive in Lone Star State
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Mary Schaper
Posted September 5, 2017
The thoughts of the nation have been with Texas over the last week as the state grapples with the devastating impacts of Hurricane Harvey. Aiding those in the path of the storm and subsequent flooding remains the top priority, and the efforts of Texans and volunteers from around the country show America at its best. … Celebrities, businesses and even the “Cajun Navy” have given graciously to aid those in need. And natural gas and oil companies are no different. From boots on the ground clearing debris, to donation drives collecting much-needed supplies, to contributions to the Red Cross, here are some highlights of the companies in action.
Harvey Update: Supply, Demand and Gasoline Markets
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Mark Green
Posted September 5, 2017
Before then-Hurricane Harvey first made landfall, we discussed how mega-weather events historically have impacted the regional/national oil supply chain and supply levels in the marketplace. The uncertain path of Hurricane Irma will drive continued conversation about storm effects on refineries and other energy infrastructure and the potential for market impacts around the country. That’s the context for some basics about the fuel marketplace and the processes that bring finished consumer products from refineries to retail outlets.
Harvey Update: Starting the Refinery Restart Process
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Mark Green
Posted August 31, 2017
The Gulf Coast area impacted by Hurricane-Tropical Storm Harvey faces a long recovery road, with thousands displaced and so many neighborhoods and workplaces inaccessible due to floodwaters. Humanitarian relief efforts are under way, but there’s much work to be done. While Americans across the country are concerned about the human toll left by Harvey, we’re particularly mindful of thousands of colleagues in the natural gas and oil industry who work and live in affected areas. In that light, it’s a glimmer of good news that a few of the refineries forced to shut down because of the storm are starting the complex process of restarting – six as of Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Energy Department, with a combined capacity of more than 1.2 million barrels per day or about 4.2 percent of total U.S. refining capacity.
Harvey Update: Industry Focused on Keeping Market Well Supplied
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Mark Green
Posted August 30, 2017
Industry is focused on keeping the domestic market for fuels and other refined products well supplied. It’s also committed to continued safety when it’s appropriate to restore operations at facilities that have been shut down – working closely with state and federal officials on the scene.
Harvey Update: Presidential Visit and Growing Benevolence
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Mark Green
Posted August 29, 2017
As the Houston and Louisiana areas brace for more rain in what is one of the biggest rain events in U.S. history, President Trump and the First Lady visited Corpus Christi to see storm impacts in person. The Gulf Coast is one of the United States’ key energy centers, where a number of natural gas and oil companies operate and where thousands of their employees live, and his visit drew praise and appreciation from Texans gathered at a fire station for his remarks.
Focusing on Relief Efforts, Continued Safe Operations
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Mark Green
Posted August 28, 2017
In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the primary focus along the Texas Gulf Coast is on search and rescue efforts and – with expectations that more flooding is ahead – providing shelter and other basic needs for those displaced by the storm and its effects. Energy companies, which themselves have thousands of employees living in the area, are helping support organizations such as the Red Cross, the United Way of Houston and others that provide emergency services. Meanwhile, the storm’s impacts on one of the country’s key energy centers are being reckoned.