Ponca City Refinery - News From 2016
by Hugh Pickens, Ponca City Oklahoma
The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive overview of Phillips 66 that documents and explains the company's business strategy and execution of that strategy.
Major Sections of this report on Phillips 66 include:
Master Index of Articles about Phillips 66
by Hugh Pickens, Ponca City Oklahoma
The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive overview of Phillips 66 that documents and explains the company's business strategy and execution of that strategy.
Major Sections of this report on Phillips 66 include:
News from the Ponca City Refinery
Introduction
In 1908 E. W. Marland came to Oklahoma after losing his fortune in the Pennsylvania oil fields in the panic of 1907 and by 1920 had reestablished himself and started the Marland Oil Company building the Marland Refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Marland was a visionary and not only pioneered the use of geophysical techniques in the oil industry but was years ahead of his time as an employer providing housing, loans, medical care, and other benefits for the thousands of employees who worked at his refineries and pipelines. The refinery EW Marland built in Ponca City in 1918 has provided employment, opportunities, and benefits to tens of thousands of citizens of Northern Oklahoma in the almost 100 years since the Marland Refinery in Ponca City was built.
This report contains news and commentary about Ponca City, the Ponca Refinery, E. W. Marland and his legacy, Phillips 66 and other Phillips 66 refineries around the world, ConocoPhillips, and the petroleum industry in Oklahoma.
Other Stories About the Ponca Refinery:
- Ponca City and its Century-Old Oil Refining History
- Ponca City and the "Merger of Equals" with Phillips in 2001
- Ponca City and the Spinoff of Phillips 66 in 2012
- How Much Money Does the Ponca Refinery Earn for Phillips 66?
- What Are Phillips' Plans for the North and South Towers?
Latest News about Phillips 66 and the Ponca Refinery
December 29, 2016: Seven Rail Cars Overturn at Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery
The Belleville News-Democrat reported on December 29, 2016 that seven cars overturned at the Wood River Refinery in Roxana on Thursday morning, spilling about one gallon of acid that was quickly contained, according to officials. “We are monitoring the area, and there are no injuries or impacts to the community. Refinery operations are not impacted,” read a statement from Wood River Refinery. Norfolk Southern spokesman Dave Pigeon said the material that leaked was a waste product from the refining process known as spent sulfuric acid. It can eventually be recycled and reused, he said, but is transported as hazardous materials. There were seven cars derailed in the incident, Pigeon said, with five cars that came to rest on their sides while two remained upright. As of 3:30 p.m., Norfolk Southern workers had uprighted three of those five cars.[1]
December 29, 2016: Standing Rock Activists Target Profits of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Guardian reported on December 29, 2016 that Native American activists are targeting the Dakota Access pipeline’s finances in an effort to further strain the oil corporation and cause continuing delays that they hope could be disastrous for the project focusing on an approaching January 1, 2017 deadline that the operator, Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), has cited in court records. ETP wrote in a filing this year that the pipeline “committed to complete, test and have DAPL in service” by the start of 2017. And if the company did not meet its contract deadline, then its shipping partners had a “right to terminate their commitments”. But in emails to the Guardian, DAPL spokeswoman Vicki Granado claimed that January was just an “initial target” and not a “contractual date”, which is “much later”, though she refused to say when. Her statement, which contradicts the company’s official court testimony on multiple occasions, has prompted accusations that the corporation has either committed perjury or is lying to reporters. Regardless of the significance of the January date, opponents of the project argued that the continuing suspension of the project is already having a big impact on the ETP’s bottom line.
The financial challenges for Energy Transfer come at a time when the company is already in a precarious economic situation due to broader industry trends, analysts said. Global oil prices began to collapse in 2014 after shippers committed to DAPL, and production in the Bakken Shale oil field has fallen, which has created major hardships for drillers, according to the recent Ieefa report. That means the existing pipeline infrastructure may be adequate to handle regional oil production, and that if the contract deadline does expire, shippers could be eager to pull out or renegotiate favorable terms.
LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, a Standing Rock tribe member who owns land where one of the main camps remains in place, said the DAPL corporation was “panicking” about its finances and misleading the public. The company should not be trusted, she said, noting that the construction site was being monitored to ensure that DAPL workers do not start drilling under the Missouri river, which provides the tribe’s water supply. “We are preparing because we know we have a fight on our hands. We will be standing our ground no matter what.”[2]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
December 29, 2016: U.S. Refiners Face Severe Labor Shortage For Deferred Maintenance
Reuters reported on December 29, 2016 that refiners are now competing for pipe fitters and ironworkers with a host of billion-dollar energy projects, including Cheniere Energy's liquefied natural gas export terminals and a new petrochemical unit for Dow Chemical and without undertaking the work they need, refineries run the risk of more unscheduled outages at plants. "Putting off work definitely affects the safety of the refinery," said Ed Lee, an independent refinery safety consultant. U.S. refiners are expected to spend $1.26 billion on planned maintenance next year, up 38 percent from this year and the highest level since at least 2010 as a spate of unexpected outages have hit refineries nationwide, taking hundreds of thousands of barrels off the market and boosting gasoline prices and margins. "Refiners are going to have trouble finding even the lowest skilled workers, such as scaffold builders, and you can't do work at a refinery without a scaffold," said said Anthony Salemme, a vice president at IIR. "That's going to complicate scheduling and even extend outages." According to IIRC the coastal region from Brownsville, Texas to New Orleans - the largest U.S. refining region - will be short roughly 37,400 craftsman needed to complete all of the planned capital projects in 2017. "We are definitely feeling the labor shortages in skilled craft labor," said Paul Tooze, construction manager for the oil, gas and chemicals business at Bechtel.
A recent survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America found that 74 percent of Texas contractors are having trouble filling hourly craft worker positions, and a majority of them believed they would continue to struggle over the next year. More than 60 percent of the respondents said they bumped up salaries to attract more skilled craft workers. "These shortages have the potential to undermine broader economic growth by forcing contractors to slow scheduled work or choose not to bid on projects, thereby inflating the cost of construction," said Stephen Sandherr, head of the Associated General Contractors.[3]
Phillips 66 recently announced that the Ponca Refinery is beginning the largest turnaround since 2011 which at its peak will involve more than 1,000 contract laborers from approximately 35 different companies. The turnaround requires a large monetary investment from the company and there is a large outlay of dollars spent in the Ponca City community as contract laborers will fill hotel and motel rooms, RV parks, and rental properties and will spend money throughout the community. [4]
December 23, 2016: Enbridge Stalls on Purchase of Stake in Phillips Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Duluth News Tribune reported on December 23, 2016 that Enbridge Energy Partners L.P. and its joint venture partner Marathon Petroleum Corp. now have until March 31, 2017 to back out of a deal to purchase a stake in the Dakota Access Pipeline, according to a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The previous deadline to terminate the sale was December 31, 2016. The Enbridge/Marathon purchase was announced August 2, 2016 just before pipeline protests erupted around a river crossing north of the Standing Rock Reservation. SEC filings show the joint venture is to pay $2 billion for a 49 percent interest in Bakken Holdings Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco Logistics Partners that owns 75 percent of the Dakota Access pipeline. Phillips 66 owns the remaining 25 percent of the Dakota Access Pipeline. None of the companies involved cite a reason to push back the termination date in SEC filings, though uncertainty over the project’s future could play a part.[5] "If Enbridge and Marathon thought that completion of the pipeline was a done deal, the money would have been a done deal too," said Energy analyst Antonia Juhasz. "This means they are worried and are not feeling secure enough to turn over their cash, putting even more financial pressure on Energy Transfer Partners."[6]
December 23, 2016: Phillips 66 Alliance Refinery Donates $65,000 to Sorrento Fire Department
The Creole reported on December 23, 2016 that Phillips 66 recently donated $50,000 to the Sorrento Fire Department to help with both aging equipment and losses suffered during the August flood with some of the money used to replace a 20-year-old fire truck by matching a grant. Several assets in south Louisiana, including a Sorrento salt cavern in the McElroy Swamp, were acquired by Phillips 66 earlier this year.[7]
December 20, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $35,000 to Amarillo Police for Training
Myhighplains reported on December 20, 2016 that Phillips 66 Amarillo Pipeline Division has made a grant of $35,000 to the Amarillo Police Department to provide updated supervisory and leadership training to police supervisors.[8]
December 19, 2016: Vallejo Mayor Wants Phillips 66 and Other Refiners to Pay for Air Monitoring Equipment After Oil Spill in San Pablo Bay
KQED reported on December 19, 2016 that incoming mayor of Vallejo is calling on Phillips 66, Valero, Shell, and Tesoro to foot the bill for new air monitors for five Bay Area cities that sit near local refineries after a mysterious odor sickened dozens of Vallejo residents around the same time an oil spill was discovered in San Pablo Bay in September. The U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation into the oil spill concluded that the spill came from either the marine terminal for Phillips 66 Rodeo refinery or an oil tanker that was unloading crude there. “I think as a good neighbor, Conoco Phillips 66 should be concerned about providing air quality monitors to the surrounding communities,” said Mayor-elect Bob Sampayan. “I want to see a more expanded role with the oil companies in providing information should we have this kind of incident occur again.” A spokesman for Phillips 66 did not respond to a request for comment, and a representative for the Western State Petroleum Association said the industry group has no comment.[9]
December 18, 2016: Pickens Sponsor First Formal Dinner in E. W. Marland's Private Dining Room at the Mansion in 75 Years
The Ponca City News published a paid article on December 18, 2016 about a formal dinner that took place in E. W. Marland's private dining room at the Marland Mansion. A party of twelve guests were served dinner in the formal dining room on December 10, 2016 courtesy of Hugh Pickens and Dr. S. J. Pickens, the signature sponsors of this year's Gala at the Mansion supporting the Marland Mansion Estate Foundation. Dinner has not been served in the Marland's private dining room at the Mansion since Mr. Marland's passing in 1941. Although Marland lost his oil company to banking interests in the 1920's and closed the mansion, he would reopen the “Palace on the Prairie” to parties and formal dinners during his tenure as Governor of Oklahoma from 1935 to 1939. "We are honored to have the opportunity to sponsor the Marland Gala this year," said Pickens, "and especially honored to be the first guests to have dinner in E. W. Marland's formal dining room in over 75 years."
Terron Liles, Chairman of the 2016 Marland Gala, made every effort to create the ambiance of a formal dinner just as it would have been served in the 1920’s when Marland was building his vast oil empire. Marland was an Anglophile, so dinner was served Downton Abbey style just as it would have been served to Marland and his guests. Wait staff dressed as footman and maids in formal attire served the meal with grace and elegance. "We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Pickens for being our major sponsor for the 2016 Gala," said Terron Liles, Chairman of the Marland Foundation, “and we want to thank them for their generosity toward the Marland Gala, The Marland Estate Foundation and the Marland Mansion as a whole." “My husband and I would like to thank Terron Liles, the organizer of the Gala, David Keathly, Executive Director of the Marland Estate, our guests, and those who prepared and served the food throughout the night, and everyone else associated with the Gala,” said Dr. Pickens. “This has truly been a night to remember that we will treasure for the rest of our lives.”[10]
- Learn more about the historic Dinner at the Marland Mansion
December 16, 2016: Phillips 66 Awards Three Grants to City of Ponca City for $120,000
The Ponca City News reported on December 16, 2016 that Phillips 66 has award three grants to the city of Ponca City for a total of $120,000 intended to enhance the environment and safety of the community. A $60,000 Pillar of Safety grant will be used to purchase and install musical-themed playground equipment at Garfield Park. A $30,000 Pillar of Safety grant will be used to purchase mobile repeaters for the City of Ponca City’s public safety communication radio system in order to enhance public safety and emergency operations. A $30,000 Pillar of Environmental grant will be used to purchase and distribute dual smoke and carbon monoxide battery operated detectors that will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis to income-qualifying homeowners.[11]
The Ponca City News reported on December 21, 2016 that in addition to the three grants already announced on December 16, 2016 Phillips 66 is contributing two additional grants for a total of $165,000. The grants include a pillar of Safety grant to McCord School for installation for protection to ensure safety for the children on the playground and a pillar of education and literacy a grant to Ponca City High School to help grow the robotics program, which will benefit from funding to help students with materials and components and help defray the cost of competitions.[12]
December 16, 2016: Phillips 66's Freeport LPG Export Terminal is Now Fully Operational
Businesswire reported on December 16, 2016 that Phillips 66's Freeport LPG Export Terminal located in Freeport, Texas, is fully operational. The company loaded its first contracted cargo on the Commander, a very large gas carrier that departed the terminal on December 16. “The startup of the Freeport LPG Export Terminal is the culmination of a four-year effort to develop a new U.S. Gulf Coast natural gas liquids (NGL) market hub that also includes Phillips 66 Partners’ 100,000 barrel-per-day Sweeny fractionator and 7.5 million barrel Clemens storage facility,” said Greg Garland, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. “The new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) export terminal gives customers the ability to place multi-grade LPG products directly into global markets through Port Freeport, which provides immediate blue water access with minimal congestion.”
The Freeport LPG Export Terminal can simultaneously load two ships with refrigerated propane and butane at a combined rate of 36,000 barrels per hour. Supply is sourced from the Phillips 66 Partners’ Sweeny fractionator and Clemens storage facility, which is connected by pipeline to the Mont Belvieu Hub.[13]
December 15, 2016: Osage Nation Wants to Increase Oil and Gas Production
Oil and Gas 360 published an article on December 15, 2016 about the history of mineral rights and oil and gas production in the Osage Nation since 1870 when the remainder of Osage land in Kansas was sold and the proceeds used to relocate the tribe to Indian Territory. According to the article the Osage Nation has a long history of smart deal making and being expert negotiators. “By their delays in agreeing to removal, the Osage benefited by the change in administration; they sold their lands to the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, for which they received $1.25 an acre rather than the 19 cents previously offered to them by the US.” The Osage were one of the few American Indian nations to buy their own reservation, and they retained more rights to the land and sovereignty as a result. Unlike its arrangements with other Native American tribes, in 1906, the U.S. Congress reserved the entire Osage Minerals Estate for the benefit of all of the Osage members.
“Already rich from leases of their grazing lands, the Osage grew exponentially more wealthy after the discovery of oil on their lands. In 1895 Henry Foster of Kansas acquired a blanket lease that covered the entire Osage Reservation, more than 1.5 million acres—the ‘Foster lease’. Over the next two decades the Osages’ ‘underground reservation’ would produce more wealth than had all of the American gold rushes combined.” Unlike other landholders, the Osage were able to retain collective ownership of subsurface mineral rights, rather than having to accept allotments to individual owners. Instead, tribal members received ‘headrights’ that assured them an equal share of mineral rights.
The Osage Nation has been vocal about getting the U.S. government to speed up oil and gas permitting on its reservation. In March of 2016, a delegation of tribal councilmembers testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, chaired by Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole. The Osage councilmembers testified as follows: “Congress called us Headright Owners. Each Headright Owner had one share of royalty from the production of oil and gas in the Osage Minerals Estate. The Osage Minerals Estate has been producing oil since 1896, making it one of the oldest fields in the United States. Our Minerals Estate contains proven reserves. In 2015, it was estimated that our Headright owners would receive about $13.6 billion in royalties from 2012 to 2027. That’s about $1 billion a year."
Everett Waller, chairman of the Osage Nation Minerals Council, is one Osage tribal member and a former Bureau of Indian Affairs employee who is doing everything in his power to remove the federal agency’s roadblocks to new drilling on Osage lands. "We’re going to use the new 3D technology just like they’re going to use on the old fields in Texas. The projections there are through the roof. I have some of the largest dome caps in the world here, and if we can find one out of the three they predict are here, we’re going to be in business. I’m going to have all workovers ready to go, and if we have to, we’ll go to court to get the permitting done. I believe the new technology is going to bring us new production, and that’s going to be the key to survival here."[14]
December 13, 2016: Protesters of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Say 176,000 Barrel Oil Spill in western North Dakota 'Validates Struggle'
NBC News reported on December 13, 2016 that North Dakota officials estimate that more than 176,000 gallons of crude oil has leaked from the Belle Fourche Pipeline over the past week into the Ash Coulee Creek in western North Dakota validating the concerns of those who spoke out against the project for months, activists said. "The spill gives further credence to our position that pipelines are not safe," said Tara Houska, a Native American environmental activist who has resided at the camp since August. "Oil companies' interest is on their profit margins, not public safety." One of the protesters' central arguments for months has been that, despite assurances from Energy Transfer Partners — the Dallas-based company funding the $3.7 billion project — an oil spill would be inevitable. And the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe believes that a spill would devastate the Missouri River, which is the main water source for the tribe. In an interview last month, Energy Transfer Partners CEO Kelcy Warren told NBC News that he could not assure the tribe that an oil spill could not potentially occur. Warren would only say that the Dakota Access Pipeline was prepared to withstand such an event. "They can say they have all the latest technologies to safeguard against a leak," Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II told NBC News. "But when that leak happens, and it will, all those safeguards will go out the window."[15]
The leaking segment of the pipeline was built in the 1980s. Since then, construction materials and pressure monitoring equipment have improved, and tighter regulations have been put in place. "It's hard to compare one company, especially one that has had a pipeline in the ground for maybe 40 or 50 years, to a brand new pipeline," says Carl Weimer, executive director of the nonprofit Pipeline Safety Trust. "It's not just the old ones that fail, new ones can fail also." Since 2010, according to data from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, operators have reported about 200 crude oil spills per year, on average. Most of them are comparatively small — think a few bathtubs full or less. The Belle Fourche pipeline leak is the largest in North Dakota since 2013. But the same company that owns and runs the pipeline was involved in another oil spill in Montana in 2015 that leaked 30,000 gallons of crude into the river. At one point, tests showed traces of oil in the local drinking water. Still, generally these incidents are low probability, high impact events, and John Stoody with the Association of Oil Pipelines says they remain the most efficient way to go. "They're also the safest way to move crude oil and petroleum around," says Stoody.[16]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
December 12, 2016: Donald Trump Says He'll Solve the Dakota Access Pipeline Question
UPI reported on December 12, 2016 that President-elect Donald Trump promised quick action on the Dakota Access oil pipeline if it's not "solved" by the time he's scheduled to take office in January. "Let me not answer the Dakota [oil pipeline question] because perhaps that'll be solved by the time I get there, so I don't have to create enemies on one side or the other," Trump told Fox News. "But I will tell you when I get to office, if it's not solved, I'll have it solved very quickly." Trump did not elaborate on what "solved" implied.[17]
December 9, 2016: Phillips 66 Cuts Capital Spending by 25 Percent in 2017
Fuelfix reported on December 9, 2016 that Phillips 66 will cut its capital spending by 25 percent next year, spending $2.7 billion in capital spending in 2017 — not counting joint ventures — with nearly $1.5 billion going to pipeline and terminal projects, and more than $900 million toward refining improvements. “The reduction in capital spending from prior years reflects that fewer projects meet our return thresholds in the current business environment,” Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Greg Garland said in a prepared statement, noting an ongoing emphasis on share buybacks and investor dividend growth. One of the big 2017 projects is completing the Bayou Bridge Pipeline from its Beaumont terminal to St. James, La. Only the Louisiana portion of construction remains. Phillips 66 also will spend another $1.1 billion next year on joint ventures like Chevron Phillips Chemical and DCP Midstream. Chevron Phillips next year will complete its U.S. Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project near Houston to produce much more chemicals and plastics from Baytown and Sweeny.
Phillips 66 is also a 25 percent owner of Energy Transfer Partners’ Dakota Access project. According to the NY Times Energy Transfer Partners, the nation’s biggest pipeline operator, has lost $450 million dollars from delays in the completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline and its standoff with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe over a section running through tribal lands could mean an additional $80 million a month in losses. According to the Wall Street Journal U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has denied a request by Energy Transfer Partners LP to quickly force the federal government to approve the final link in its Dakota Access pipeline, but said he would take up the issue next year ordering lawyers for Energy Transfer Partners and the Justice Department to file motions by January 31, 2017.[18][19][20]
December 9, 2016: Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery Donates $125,000 to Playground Project
The Alton Daily News reported on December 9, 2016 that Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery has donated $125,000 toward Alton's Gordon Moore Park that will be a part of massive upgrades at the facility along Illinois Route 140.[21] “Phillips 66 is a company that believes in the importance of celebrating diversity and achieving inclusion within our community,” Phillips 66 spokesperson Megan Allen said. “This project is a perfect representation of the values we respect and abide by as a company. It was a natural connection for us to be involved in the development of this playground.”[22]
December 7, 2016: Court Orders Further Review of Phillips 66 Propane Project at Rodeo Refinery
The East Bay Times reported that Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Barry Goode has voided a land use permit and the certification of an environmental report for a propane project at the Phillips 66 petroleum refinery issuing an order voiding the land use permit and the Environmental Impact Statement's certification, pointing to shortcomings in the EIR’s analysis of emissions and air pollution. The Phillips 66 Propane Recovery Project calls for installing new equipment to recover and sell propane and butane instead of burning the fuel at the refinery or flaring off excesses. The refinery has said the project will reduce pollution while creating well-paying jobs and generating taxes. It would involve construction of new distillation columns and absorber towers, a hydrotreater, six propane storage vessels, a loading rack, two rail spurs, some additions and modifications to ancillary facilities, and perhaps a new steam boiler.
“Phillips 66 is pleased with the court’s conclusion that the county’s environmental analysis was performed correctly regarding almost every claim raised by the plaintiffs,” refinery spokesman Paul Adler said in an email this week. “With respect to the limited issues in the air impacts analysis that the Court found lacking, we are reviewing that portion of the Court’s decision.”[23]
December 7, 2016: First Dinner to be Served in Marland's Formal Dining Room at Marland Mansion in 75 Years
The Ponca City News reported on December 7, 2016 that something is happening in Ponca City that hasn't occurred for at least seventy-five years. On December 10 dinner will be served in E. W. Marland's private dining room at the Marland Mansion for the first time since 1941. A party of twelve guests will have dinner in the formal dining room courtesy of Hugh Pickens and Dr. S. J. Pickens, the signature sponsors of this year's Gala at the Mansion supporting the Marland Mansion Estate Foundation. The Marland Gala is a fundraiser for the Marland Estate Foundation whose mission is to restore and preserve the historic, architectural landmark and to educate people on the E.W. Marland story.
Dinner has not been served in the Marland's private dining room at the Mansion since Mr. Marland's passing in 1941. Although Marland lost his oil company to banking interests in 1929 and closed the mansion, he would reopen the mansion to parties and formal dinners during his tenure as Governor of Oklahoma from 1935 to 1939. "We are honored to have the opportunity to sponsor the Marland Gala this year," said Pickens, "and especially honored to be the first guests to have dinner in E. W. Marland's formal dining room in over 75 years."
The Pickens' invited guests include Ponca City Mayor Homer Nicholson, Barbara Rozell, Kay County District Attorney Brian Hermanson, Ruslyn Hermanson, Marland Estate Manager David Keathly, Marcia Keathly, Phillips 66 Community Affairs and Public Relations Head Diane Anderson, Deloris Pickens, and Joseph Gierek, owner of the Gierek Art Gallery in Tulsa and his wife Mary Gierek. "We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Pickens for being our major sponsor for the 2016 Gala," said Terron Liles, Chairman of the Marland Foundation, “and we want to thank them for their generosity toward the Marland Gala, The Marland Estate Foundation and the Marland Mansion as a whole."[24][25][26]
December 5, 2016: Trump Team Pledges Support for Completing Blocked Dakota Access Pipeline
The Wall Street Journal reported on December 5, 2016 that a spokesman for President-elect Donald Trump said the incoming administration supports completing the Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66. “With regard to the Dakota Access Pipeline, that’s something that we support construction of and we’ll review the full situation when we’re in the White House and make the appropriate determination at that time,” said Jason Miller, a spokesman for Mr. Trump. The statement by the Trump transition team, however, cast doubt on whether that decision would hold any sway after the new administration takes over in January. Pipeline experts said that Mr. Trump would have several options once he takes office to enable the $3.8 billion pipeline to proceed. That could include directing the Secretary of the Army to reinstate a previous permit for the reservoir crossing, or issuing an executive order approving the pipeline.[27]
However Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee and an early ally of Dakota Access opponents, praised Obama’s decision. He said this “big win for tribal rights, for environmental quality and for every American who has stood in solidarity with the water protectors” should survive after Obama leaves office. “It now falls to the Trump administration to follow the law, treat this entire process with the respect and seriousness it demands, and honor the sacrifices of the Americans who put themselves in harm’s way to demand justice at Standing Rock,” Grijalva said.[28]
December 5, 2016: Could Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Lose Its Contracts with Oil Companies on January 1?
Democracy Now reported on December 5, 2016 that according to Amy Goodman, a new report exposes "The Rickety Finances Behind the Dakota Access Pipeline," published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and the Sightline Institute that spotlights a potential economic weakness of the project: the January 1st deadline by which Energy Transfer Partners had promised oil companies it would have completed construction. Missing the January 1st deadline opens up the possibility the pipeline company may lose its contracts with oil companies.
"One of the fundamental findings of our report was that the oil market has changed dramatically since the pipeline was first proposed in early 2014," says Clark Williams-Derry. "Back then, oil prices were at $100 a barrel or more, and oil production in North Dakota was rising. It kept rising and rising. And all the forecasts said that oil prices were going to remain high and that oil production in North Dakota was going to remain robust. But almost as soon as the companies signed up its first set of shippers, the first commitments from oil companies to ship through the pipeline, you started to see oil markets collapse. You saw prices fall from $100 a barrel down to $50 a barrel. And as that happened, oil companies in North Dakota started to pull back. They stopped—they weren’t drilling as much. A lot of them were starting to lose money from some of their oil projects in the Bakken region in North Dakota. And so, what you started to see is a decline in production. You’ve already seen a 20 percent dip in production in the Bakken region since oil prices started to collapse. And it’s still collapsing. It’s still declining by a percent or two every month. And if those declines—that decline in production continues, well, it’s not clear that the pipeline’s capacity is going to be needed at all."
“Oil markets have changed radically since ETP first locked in its contracts,” Williams-Derry said. “Shippers have to be asking themselves if the contracts they signed in early 2014 still make sense. ETP boxed itself in with the January 1 deadline.”[29][30]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
December 4, 2016: Corps of Engineers Blocks Drilling of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Oil Pipeline
The NY Times reported on December 3, 2016 that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has won a major victory in its battle to block the Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, being built near its reservation when the Department of the Army announced that it would not allow the pipeline to be drilled under a dammed section of the Missouri River. The announcement set off whoops of joy inside the Oceti Sakowin camp. Tribal members paraded through the camp on horseback, jubilantly beating drums and gathering around a fire at the center of the camp. Tribal elders celebrated what they said was the validation of months of prayer and protest. “It’s wonderful,” Dave Archambault II, the Standing Rock tribal chairman, told cheering supporters who stood in the melting snow on a mild North Dakota afternoon. “You all did that. Your presence has brought the attention of the world.” The Standing Rock Sioux had objected to the pipeline’s path so close to the source of their drinking water, and said any spill could poison water supplies for them and other reservations and cities downstream. They also said the pipeline’s route through what are now privately owned ranches bordering the river crossed through sacred ancestral lands.
The Army said it would look for alternative routes for the $3.7 billion Dakota Access pipeline. “The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing,” Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army’s assistant secretary for civil works, said in a statement. The move could presage a lengthy environmental review that has the potential to block the pipeline’s construction for months or years.
Though the Army’s decision calls for an environmental study of alternative routes, the Trump administration could ultimately decide to allow the original, contested route. Representatives for Mr. Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There was no immediate response from Energy Transfer Partners, but its chief executive, Kelcy Warren, has said that the company was unwilling to reroute the pipeline, which is intended to transport as much as 550,000 barrels of oil a day from the oil fields of western North Dakota to a terminal in Illinois.[31]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
December 1, 2016: Phillips 66 presents check for $57,000 for Flint Hills Maps in Butler County, Kansas
The Butler County Times Gazette reported on December 1, 2016 that Phillip 66 presented a $57,000 check to all of the schools in Butler County, Kansas for the display of a new Flinthills map, showing students just where it is they live, and where the Tall Grass Prairie is located. “The idea is too many children who grow up in the Flint Hills, grow up believing they are from no where,” said Emily Connell, who is part of the program. The latest map was dedicated at Flinthills Primary School in Cassoday recently, at which time a major donor for the Butler County schools, Phillips 66, was recognized. The goal was to be in 150 schools in the Flint Hills and they are close to 170. When they get in the Oklahoma schools in the region they will be close to 180 schools. It is important to realize all of the Butler schools were funded through Phillips,” Connell said. “All of this is because of Phillips. It’s huge to have a corporation like Phillips step forward.”
The whole idea behind the map is place-based education. It includes not only a map of the Flint Hills but also the Tall Grass Prairie and information about the area on each of the maps, with different maps created for elementary, middle school and high school/college levels. This is the first time a map has shown the remaining native tall grass prairie. Ninety-six percent of it has been plowed and developed, making the tall grass prairie the most altered ecosystem there is.[32]
November 30, 2016: Ponca Refinery Begins Largest Turnaround Since 2011
The Ponca City News reported on November 30, 2016 that the Ponca Refinery is beginning the largest turnaround since 2011 which at its peak will involve more than 1,000 contract laborers from approximately 35 different companies. The turnaround requires a large monetary investment from the company and there is a large outlay of dollars spent in the Ponca City community. Contract laborers will fill hotel and motel rooms, RV parks, and rental properties and will spend money throughout the community. The city of Ponca City will benefit from tax revenues that come from this project. “This investment is just another example of the company’s commitment to Ponca City and the area for the long term,” said Tim Seidel, manager of the Ponca City Refinery. “It shows our company’s support to the Ponca City Refinery. Our employees who call Ponca City home are committed to make our refinery the best in the industry.”[33]
A turnaround is a planned break in production so that maintenance may be performed. Most refineries go through a turnaround every three to five years. Each turnaround requires extensive planning and careful coordination of labor and materials. Most often, the shutdown happens when production is at its lowest and required skilled labor is readily available. Some turnarounds take a few weeks to complete. Others may need a few months. Turnarounds depend entirely on the extent of the project and any problems that occur or are found along the way. Most refineries go through an extensive inspection and testing process during a turnaround. If the inspection or testing identifies a problem, the time may be extended.[34]
November 30, 2016: Ponca Refinery Will Start Revamp of their Largest Crude Fractionation Unit in 2017
The Ponca City News reported on November 30, 2016 that the Ponca Refinery is in the early construction stages of revamp to its largest crude fractionation unit which will allow the refinery to convert a larger percentage of crude oil into motor fuel (specifically more diesel); replace older equipment with state of the art, energy efficient equipment; and will enable the refinery to run more local grades of Oklahoma crude. The project, which is in its early constructions stages now will start in 2017.[35]
November 30, 2016: Ponca Refinery Has Hired Fifty New Operators and Maintenance Personnel in Last Two Years
The Ponca City News reported that Ponca Refinery has hired close to 50 new operators and maintenance personnel in the last two years. “Over the past two years, Phillips 66 PCR has hired close to 50 new operators and maintenance personnel. We have a strong partnership with Northern Oklahoma College, which has the Process Technology (PTech) degree program that helps with having qualified operator candidates,” according to Tim Seidel, refinery manager. “Also Pioneer Tech, right here in Ponca City is a critical partner to provide educational and training programs for our mechanical craft workers for both employees and contractors. “New in 2016, the refinery started an instrumentation internship program, partnering with the Oklahoma State University-Information Technology’s (OSU-IT), four-year degree plan. In the same two year time period, we have hired nine engineers and scientists with the off-campus hires coming primarily from our core universities of OU, OSU and KSU.”[36]
The Ponca City News reported on October 14, 2012 that Refinery Manager Pete Stynes spoke to the Ponca City Lions Club on October 10, 2012 about Phillips 66's Refinery in Ponca City and said that 800 employees work at the refinery with the direct employment of 625 Phillips employees.[37]
November 30, 2016: Two Thousand Veterans to Protect Protesters of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
UPI reported on November 30, 2016 that the Veterans Stand For Standing Rock group says it plans to have up to 2,000 veterans help protect Dakota Access Pipeline protesters from what it describes as abusive and humiliating tactics committed by a "militarized police force." The group has called on veterans joining the protest to bring body armor, gas masks, earplugs and shooting mufflers, due to possible use of a sound cannon by police and asked veterans not to bring drugs, alcohol or weapons. "This event ... will not tolerate hate, violence or divisive behavior of any kind. We're doing this to support our country so let's do it with honor, working together," the group wrote on Facebook. "We can stop this savage injustice being committed right here at home. If not us, who? If not now, when?"
Police forces have been criticized for using tear gas and other non-lethal methods, such as rubber bullets and water cannons amid freezing temperatures, to disrupt the protests. "Are you going to treat us veterans who have served our country in the same way as you have those water protectors?" said Loreal Black Shawl, a Native American eight-year U.S. Army veteran. "We're not there to create chaos. We are there because we are tired of seeing the water protectors being treated as non-humans."
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple this week signed an emergency evacuation order to clear Dakota Access Pipeline protesters from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers territory.[38] Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
November 23, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $25,000 To Help Cushing Recovery From Earthquake
The Ponca City News reported that Phillips 66 presented a $25,000 donation to the the American Red Cross to help to help people affected by the 5.0 earthquake in Cushing, Oklahoma on Nvember 6, 2016 as well as increase earthquake and disaster preparedness education throughout the Cushing area and Northwest Oklahoma. “It is Phillips 66’s pleasure to team up with an outstanding organization such as the Red Cross and be able to give back to the Cushing community,” said Rodger Lewis, manager, central pipeline division, Phillips 66. “Our employees who work in the community immediately recognized a need to help their fellow citizens affected by the recent earthquake. Supporting the communities where we operate aligns with our core values of safety, honor and commitment, and we hope our donation will help those in the Cushing community who are in need of assistance.”[39]
November 21, 2016: Police, Citing ‘Ongoing Riot,’ Use Water Cannons in Freezing Weather on Protesters Against Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Washington Post reported on November 21, 2016 that police used water cannons to disperse a group of about 400 protesters against the Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, as they tried to move past a barricaded bridge toward construction sites for the project. As temperatures in Cannon Ball, N.D., dropped into the 20s, police in riot gear sprayed activists with a hose mounted atop an armored vehicle and formed a line to prevent them from advancing up the road. Protesters also reported being pelted with rubber bullets, tear gas and concussion grenades during the standoff, which lasted until late Sunday night.
Protesters, who call themselves “water protectors,” have argued that the barricade prevents emergency services from reaching the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and a nearby camp they have used as a staging ground for demonstrations. “Folks have a right to be on a public road,” said Dallas Goldtooth. “It’s absurd that people who’ve been trying to take down the barricade now have their lives at risk.” The sheriff’s department told the Tribune that the bridge has been closed since October because transportation officials were concerned about its structural integrity.[40]
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
November 21, 2016: Phillips 66 to Host Chamber of Commerce at Ponca Refinery
The Ponca City Chamber of Commerce reported on November 21, 2016 that Phillips 66 will be hosting an open house for chamber members on November 22, 2016 in E. W. Marland's board room and office at the Ponca Refinery.
November 16, 2016: Scores Arrested in Nationwide Protests Against Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
NBC News reported on November 16, 2016 that dozens of protesters against Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, were arrested in what organizers called a "National Day of Action" by self-proclaimed "water protectors" near Army Corps of Engineers offices from Los Angeles to New York City. The protests planned for more than 300 communities across the U.S. were an intended show of solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Indian tribe, which says its drinking water and way of life are threatened by the proposed pipeline. In Los Angeles, an estimated 1,500 protesters gathered peacefully in the financial district, while hundreds participated in a march at Daley plaza in Chicago. Sen. Bernie Sanders joined a crowd in front of the White House, and police in riot gear met protesters marching in Denver. In Mandan, North Dakota, about 40 miles from where the pipeline would cross on the border of the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, 350 protesters blocked a railroad with a pickup truck and other debris. More than 25 were people were arrested, some on felony charges, according to the Morton County Sheriff Department.
Over 1,500 anti-Dakota Access Pipeline protesters marched in Lower Manhattan, many holding signs and placards decrying the pipeline, and others warning of a bleak future for their cause under a Trump administration. "It's important for us to show solidarity across the country for those of us who can't be there at Standing Rock," said Korina Emmerich, a Brooklyn resident and member of the Puyallup tribe. "It's so important to show that we are not stopping until they stop building the pipeline," said Emmerich, carrying a sign that read "Don't sign our Mother Earth over to pollution, war + greed."
The fate of the project lies with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For weeks, the agency has been conducting a federal environmental review of the land in question. In its letter Monday, the Corps did not provide a timeline for its final decision.[41]
November 14, 2016: Phillips 66 Loads First Cargo From Billion Dollar Freeport LPG Terminal
Houston Business Journal reported on November 14, 2016 that the first cargo of propane and butane out of Phillips 66's new liquefied petroleum gas export terminal in Freeport, Texas, has been loaded and departed — ahead of the facility’s full-start in December. When it enters full operation in mid-December, the Freeport LPG terminal will have an export capacity of about 4.4 million barrels per month. The entire Gulf Coast region exported 20.34 million barrels of LPGs in August, according to the most recent data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Phillips 66 broke ground on the Freeport LPG terminal in August 2014, when it was expected to cost about $1 billion. The new LPG export terminal is at Phillips 66's existing marine terminal in Freeport, south of Houston. The company will get the fuel from its Sweeny complex in Old Ocean and its Gulf Coast Fractionators facility in Mont Belvieu.[42]
November 14, 2016: Garland Sells $6.4 Million in Phillips 66 Stock
Gurufocus reported on November 14, 2016 that Phillips 66 CEO Greg C. Garland sold 76,165 shares of Phillips on November 10, 2016 at an average price of $83.48 a share for a total sale of $6.4 million.[43]
November 12, 2016: What Will the Trump Presidency Mean for Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline?
NBC News reported on November 12, 2016 that according to Kelcy Warren, CEO of Energy Transfer Partners, the incoming Donald Trump administration will ensure the completion of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. "I'm 100 percent sure that the pipeline will be approved by a Trump administration," said Warren. "I believe we will have a government in place that believes in energy infrastructure." In June, Warren donated $100,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee for Trump's campaign, and a further $3,000 directly to the Trump campaign. For his part, Trump's campaign financial disclosure forms revealed the President-elect's investments totaling between $500,000 and $1 million in Energy Transfer Partners, suggesting a possible vested financial interest in the completion of the pipeline.
Warren, who has remained publicly silent on the pipeline for months as protests forced a halt in the pipeline's construction, labeled most of the protesters at Standing Rock as "violent mobs." He repeatedly praised the work of local law enforcement, despite reports of police brutality, unlawful arrests and mistreatment in jail. "It's unbelievable how they've conducted themselves," said Warren.
Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II said that Warren's remarks reflected the mindset of a "Dallas-based billionaire" unconcerned with the well being of his tribe. "Energy Transfer Partners' assertion that there are no sacred sites affected is another example of how they ignore our voice and fail to listen to our serious concerns," Archambault said in the statement. "Once again, a Dallas-based billionaire and the state of North Dakota's archeologists continue to render our voice meaningless regarding our own understanding of our traditions, spirituality and culture."[44] Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
November 5, 2016: Iowa Landowners Criticize Work on Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline: 'They Show No Respect'
The Des Moines Register reported on November 5, 2016 that countless landowners across Iowa have petitioned county inspectors, supervisors and state regulators, claiming that questionable construction practices are worsening tensions between landowners and Dakota Access LLC, funded in part by Phillips 66. "It's evidence that even as the pipeline nears completion in Iowa, opposition to the pipeline and the way it has been built shows no signs of ebbing," writes Kim Hardy. "And some say the state has failed to do enough to protect landowners who now have pipeline running through their property. Dakota Access, however, maintains it has upheld its commitments to landowners."
Cyndy Coppola said she and her nephew have found several 30-inch steel rings and other debris on their 80-acre family farm in Calhoun County. She was astonished to see that crews have no garbage bins on site to collect refuse as they go. "I guess our biggest complaint is they show no respect," said Coppola, 68, who lives in Des Moines and was arrested for trespassing while protesting construction on her land in October. Inspectors have assured Coppola that crews eventually will come back to clean up the site. But she's skeptical, even as she watches debris getting pushed underground by heavy construction equipment. She worries that buried debris will eventually end up wrecking a combine during harvest. "We don’t think they’re going to make any effort to unbury what's already been covered up," she said. "That's a joke, because they’ve just gotten by with it all along."
Dakota Access spokeswoman Vicki Granado said the company takes its construction commitments "very seriously." And she said no complaints concerning the 1,295 parcels under construction in Iowa have been determined to be founded by the Iowa Utilities Board or county supervisors. "It is our goal to maintain this record throughout the rest of construction," Granado said, "which is nearing completion in Iowa."[45] Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
November 3, 2016: Chevron Phillips Chemical’s Ethane Cracker at Baytown Likely Will Cost Another $250 million to $500 million
Platts reported on November 3, 2016 that Chevron Phillips Chemical’s ethane cracker, a 50/50 JV of Phillips 66 and Chevron Corp., likely will cost another $250 million to $500 million because a months-long delay has pushed its target startup to the second half of 2017. Phillips 66 Chief Executive Greg Garland told analysts last week that the delay will probably raise the cost of the project in Baytown, Texas, by 5%-10% “just due to delays we are seeing in construction,” though two associated polyethylene plants 86 miles away in Sweeny, Texas, are expected to be mechanically complete in the second quarter and start up by mid-2017 as planned. About $5 billion of the combined $6 billion project is related to the cracker. Phillips 66 President Tim Taylor said the main push behind the delay is construction amid a tight craft labor squeeze.[46]
November 3, 2016: Fluor takes $154 million Hit on Delayed Chevron Phillips Petrochemical Expansion in Baytown
Fuelfix reported on November 3, 2016 that Fluor, which is building Chevron Phillips’ “U.S. Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project” in a joint venture with Japan-based JGC, said it recorded a $154 million impairment charge for the project in the third quarter. “We are very disappointed in the construction progress on a fixed-price Gulf Coast project that led to a significant charge this quarter,” said David Seaton, Fluor chairman and CEO. Seaton confirmed Fluor will take a net loss on the entirety of the project. He cited weather delays, which were caused by Houston-area flooding in the spring, as well as problems with “piping performance” during the construction process. There was also one fatality in May when a Fluor contractor died after an on-site accident. Last month, Chevron Phillips acknowledged some minor delays caused by weather and additional retraining needed for some craft workers.[47]
November 2, 2016: Obama Says Army Corps is Weighing Whether to ‘Reroute’ Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Washington Post reported on November 2, 2016 that President Obama said Tuesday that his administration was considering ways to “reroute” the Dakota Access Pipeline after a week of violent clashes between authorities and activists protesting the controversial project. “We’re monitoring this closely,” Obama said. “My view is that there is a way for us to accommodate sacred lands of Native Americans. And I think that right now the Army Corps is examining whether there are ways to reroute this pipeline. We’re going to let it play out for several more weeks and determine whether or not this can be resolved in a way that I think is properly attentive to the traditions of First Americans." Even as Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline, he seemed to suggest that it would go forward.
But many climate activists have called on Obama to halt the project altogether, the way he blocked construction of the Keystone XL pipeline last year between Canada and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Jamie Henn, a spokesman for the environmental group 350.org, said in an email Wednesday that it would be hypocritical for Obama to allow the pipeline to be completed. “There’s no reroute that doesn’t involve the same risks to water and climate,” Henn said. “The president must submit Dakota Access to the same climate test as Keystone XL, a test it will surely fail.”[48]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
October 31, 2016: Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery Pays Civil Penalty to Settle Wastewater Pollution Case
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on October 31, 2016 that Phillips 66, ConocoPhillips and WRB Refining — the past and present operators of the Wood River Refinery have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $125,000 and install new wastewater control systems at the refinery after alleged releases of wastewater contaminants that exceeded the facility’s permitted levels. Pollutants that exceeded allowable levels for the facility included mercury, fecal coliform, ammonia and other byproducts. Courts records show the exceedances were documented in monthly reports submitted by the refinery to the Illinois EPA from 2011 to 2016. Phillips 66 issued a statement saying the settlement “acknowledges the improvements the refinery has already made to improve the refinery’s wastewater treatment performance, as well as outlines additional investments the refinery is committed to implement.”[49]
October 28, 2016: Garland Expects Permit "in Relatively Short Order" to Complete Dakota Access Pipeline
Yahoo reported on October 28, 2016 that Greg Garland expects a permit will be granted to build a controversial oil pipeline under the Missouri River near Native American land in North Dakota. "There's not that much left to be finished once we get the easement to go underneath the Missouri River," Garland told analysts on a conference call. "So I think that can be wrapped up in relatively short order." The U.S. Justice and Interior Departments along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted construction under the Missouri in September due to protests by Native American tribes who say the pipeline would disturb sacred land and pollute waterways supplying nearby homes. Construction is continuing on sections of the pipeline away from the Missouri River, Garland said. Phillips owns 25 percent of the project.[50]
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
October 28, 2016: Phillips 66 Quarterly Profit Plunges Prompting Cuts in 2016 Capital Expenditures
Reuters reported on October 28, 2016 that Phillips 66 reported a sharp fall in quarterly profit due to lower refining margins, and cut its full-year capital expenditure forecast to about $3 billion. The company's consolidated earnings fell to $511 million, or 96 cents per share, in the third quarter, from $1.58 billion, or $2.90 per share, a year earlier.Adjusted earnings fell to $1.05 per share from $3.02 per share.[51]
Still, Phillips 66 keeps profiting, while many oil and gas producers and services companies continue to report quarterly losses. “This year we are delivering record operational excellence results, managing costs, executing our major projects and maintaining disciplined capital allocation,” Phillips 66 Chairman and Chief Executive Greg Garland said in a prepared statement. Garland said its capital spending for the full year is decreased down to $3 billion from an initial budget of $3.9 billion. The 2017 capital budget is projected to come in below $3 billion.[52]
Refining's third-quarter earnings were $177 million, compared with $149 million in the second quarter of 2016. Refining's earnings in the third quarter of 2016 included a benefit of $43 million related to a legal award. Refining's second-quarter earnings included a net charge of $3 million related to a logistics commitment that was partially offset by a favorable U.K. tax settlement. Refining's adjusted earnings were $134 million in the third quarter, compared with $152 million in the second quarter of 2016. The decrease in adjusted earnings was largely driven by higher planned turnaround expenses, partially offset by lower routine maintenance costs. Realized margins were $7.23 per barrel, in line with the prior quarter's $7.13 per barrel. Phillips 66’s worldwide crude utilization rate was 97 percent and its clean product yield was 84 percent in the third quarter. Pretax turnaround costs for the third quarter were $117 million.[53]
October 26, 2016: Analyst Says Phillips May Bid on ExxonMobile Refinery in Billings
Toronto Metro reported on October 26, 2016 that Calgary oilsands analyst Michael Dunn of GMP FirstEnergy said Cenovus may be working with American refining partner Phillips 66 to bid on a Billings, Montana, refinery owned by Imperial's parent company, U.S.-based ExxonMobil.[54] The ExxonMobile refinery is one of the highest quality plants in the Rocky Mountains, with a fluidized coking unit for refining heavy oil. The plant primarily processes crude either imported from Canada or transported from nearby Wyoming. Industry sources quoted by Reuters said that major refiners, including Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil, are seeking to unload their smaller refineries that aren’t associated with petrochemical manufacturing, which can be more profitable. The Billings ExxonMobil refinery is the company’s smallest and it isn't associated with petrochemical manufacturing. Rumors that ExxonMobil is interested in selling its Billings refinery have surfaced in industry publications in past years, but so far have proven unfounded. Reuters speculated that the 60,000-barrel-per day plant would be worth between $500 million and $700 million.[55]
Greg Garland says that Phillips is not in a hunt for anyone that are for sale today. "So I think historical answer is still a good answer for us," said Garland. "Yes having said that if we could find the right assets for the right value certainly we would look at it, but none of the ones that are on the market today we are not in a hunt for those."[56]
October 22, 2016: Eighty-three Arrested at Protest Against Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
UPI reported on October 22, 2016 that police in North Dakota arrested 83 protesters after violent clashes at the construction site of the Dakota Access pipeline. The protest happened in rural Mandan, N.D., where workers are installing the 1,172-mile oil pipeline that will run from the oil fields in North Dakota south as far as Illinois. A group of protesters walked some three miles off the nearest road with a large all-terrain vehicle, slashed its tires and fastened themselves to the machine, according to the Bismarck Tribune. One individual chained herself to the steering wheel. Another man put his arm through a hole in the vehicle's door, than put his hand in a bucket of dried cement.
When police arrived on scene, a group of 300 or so protesters, Native Americans who view the construction as a violation of their sovereignty along with environmentalists, refused to leave. Police formed a line near the protesters and some tried to breach the line; officers responded with the use of pepper spray. Two officers were injured, though not seriously, in the confrontation. Police said they used the least amount of force possible to remove the protesters from private property. "We want to use the most nonlethal method possible," Morton County Sheriff's Department Rob Keller told the Bismarck Tribune. It took police about five hours to clear the scene of protesters so work in the area could resume. WDAZ-TV reported protesters were mostly charge with a combination of assault on a peace officer, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, engaging in a riot, resisting arrest and fleeing an officer on foot.[57]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
October 21, 2016: Phillips 66 Disputes Coast Guard Finding They’re Responsible for Oil Spill at Rodeo Refinery Marine Terminal
KQED reported on October 21, 2016 that Phillips 66 is rejecting a finding by the Coast Guard that a marine terminal at its Rodeo facility played a role in an oil spill in San Pablo Bay last month. After the oil sheen was discovered, the refinery told the operators of the Yamuna Spirit to stop transfer operations, according to company spokesman Paul Adler. “Phillips 66 subsequently tested the refinery’s dock transfer piping,” Adler said. “The tests were observed by several federal, state and local government agencies and there was no evidence of leakage from Phillips 66 piping and connections.” Phillips 66 shut down its marine terminal at the beginning of the investigation. A week later, it reopened the facility and allowed the Yamuna Spirit to depart.
Local environmentalists say there should have been better oil transfer procedures in place at the refinery. “Whether or not the oil spill that took place during oil transfer operations at Phillips 66 was the fault of refinery staff or the shipping company hired to transport its oil is irrelevant,” said Ian Wren, a staff scientist at Baykeeper, an organization that works to stop pollution in San Francisco Bay. “Phillips 66 should be expected to take full responsibility for this spill and any others that take place under its authority."[58]
October 20, 2016: US Coast Guard Says Phillips 66 Responsible for Oil Sheens on San Pablo Bay from Rodeo Refinery Oil Terminal
The East Bay Times reported on October 20, 2016 that the mysterious oil sheens that appeared on San Pablo Bay on September 20, 2016 were connected to a crude oil tanker or the Phillips 66 refinery, the U.S. Coast Guard announced. The spill left two sheens on the bay, including one just over a mile long by 40 yards wide on the water in the northern San Pablo Bay area, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, the lead agency investigating the incident. A second sheen was later identified during a Coast Guard overflight near the Phillips 66 Rodeo refinery marine terminal. Authorities were unable to determine if the sheen found in the bay originated from the Yumuna Spirit of the Phillips 66 facility. The U.S. Coast Guard said the vessel and the facility are responsible for recovering federal related response costs. The Coast Guard could not determine what caused the odor that sent dozens of people to hospitals in Vallejo with complaints of headaches, nausea and dizziness on September 20, 2016.[59]
KQED reported on October 18, 2016 that officials have revealed a clue that could help determine what caused the oil spill in San Pablo Bay a month ago and a sickening odor that sent dozens of people to the hospital in Vallejo around the same time. Results of tests taken of the substance found in the water in late September show that it was crude oil from the Middle East, according to an official with California’s lead agency for responding to oil spills. Randy Sawyer, chief environmental health and hazardous materials officer for Contra Costa County Health Services, says the crude must have come from an oil tanker at a marine terminal in Rodeo. “Based on the analysis and where the sheen was located, the oil sheen originated from the ship while it was unloading to Phillips 66,” Sawyer said. I’s unclear how the oil might have leaked from the vessel. “I know that Phillips did check their piping and there were no leaks,” Sawyer said. “There may have been a portion of the piping (that was) not tested.”
Phillips 66 declined to comment on the investigation and activity of the Yamuna Spirit at its marine terminal. “Phillips 66 generally does not comment on activity as it relates to our crude supply and transportation arrangements,” said Aimee Lohr, a refinery spokeswoman.
When the investigation is concluded, local environmentalists say whoever is responsible should be held accountable. “The perpetrators need to face stiff penalties for this absolutely unacceptable oil spill,” said Patrick Sullivan, an Oakland-based spokesman for the Center for Biological Diversity. “But even the steepest fines won’t undo the damage this oil has done to the bay,” Sullivan said. “That’s why we’ve got to move away from shipping dirty crude through California’s fragile coastal ecosystems.”[60]
- See also Health Official Says Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery Needs to Notify Local Agencies Faster Next Time it Learns of an Oil Spill Near its Facility September 28, 2016
- See also Officials Investigate Whether Phillips 66's Rodeo Refinery Is Tied to San Pablo Bay Oil Spill September 16, 2016
October 20, 2016: Phillips 66 Replaces Crude Distillation Tower at Ferndale Refinery
The Bellingham Herald reported on October 20, 2016 that Phillips 66 replacing a crude distillation tower that was installed at the Ferndale Refinery in late 1954. The 16-story tower was recently delivered to the refinery and should be in operation sometime in 2017. The tower takes heated crude oil and creates different components as it is recaptured at different temperatures. Those components include butane, gasoline, kerosene and diesel. Up to 120 contract workers will be on the project during installation and it will take about 70,000 contractor hours to complete.[61]
October 20, 2016: Phillips 66 Appeals Santa Maria Rail Project to San Luis Obispo County Supervisors
The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported on October 20, 2016 that Phillips 66. has appealed San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission’s rejection of its oil-by-rail plan to the county Board of Supervisors, setting the stage for lengthy and passionate hearings over a project that has drawn statewide attention. Phillips 66, in its appeal filed Wednesday afternoon, also is asking county supervisors to set aside the issue while it seeks an order from San Luis Obispo Superior Court that would direct the county planning department to correct what Phillips 66 says are misapplications of county land-use rules. The petition, filed Wednesday in Superior Court, also asks the court to direct the Planning Commission to set aside its findings for denial and reconsider Phillips 66’s application. A case management conference is set for Dec. 5. The Planning Commission voted 3-2 on Oct. 5 to reject the project, with Commissioners Don Campbell and Jim Harrison dissenting. Commissioner Jim Irving joined Commissioners Eric Meyer and Ken Topping on Wednesday to deny the plan.
In the meantime, environmental groups are gearing up for another fight. One such group, 350 Silicon Valley, is part of a statewide coalition of climate organizations focused on stopping the Phillips 66 project and plans to give county supervisors numerous reasons to reject the proposal, said Stew Plock, development manager for the group.[62]
October 18, 2016: Equipment Fire Called Arson on Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
UPI reported on October 18, 2016 that authorities said arson is the likely cause of an Iowa fire that caused about $2 million in damage to construction equipment on Dakota Access oil pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66. A preliminary investigation that included the FBI and the Iowa Fire Marshal found that the fires were intentionally set. It was at the same location that equipment was damaged in an Aug. 1 fire, which police suspect was started by vandals. Dakota Access LLC, the company constructing the controversial, 1,172-mile pipeline across four states, offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in Saturday's incident.
A protest against the pipeline in North Dakota turned violent last month, and several of the approximately 800 demonstrators said they were attacked with mace or bitten by guard dogs. The rally was organized after it was noted the pipeline traverses Native American graves and sacred sites.[63]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
October 17, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $600,000 to Ponca City Public Schools for Spatial Temporal Math
Ponca Post reported on October 17, 2016 that the Ponca City Public School district received a grant in excess of $600,000 from Phillips 66 to purchase ST (Spatial Temporal) Math licenses for all students in prekindergarten through 7th grade. ST Math is a game-based software designed to help students and enhance student comprehension and proficiency through visual learning. Students are able to learn at their own pace and to incorporate problem solving into their math lessons. ST Math utilizes a game concept that is interactive and has graphic animations that according to Mind Research, “visually represents mathematical concepts to improve conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.”
The grant also included 3D printers for schools, iPads for the pre-K center, professional development for employees, and other supporting hardware totaling over $185,000. “Ponca City is the only school district in Oklahoma fortunate enough to have ST Math,” said Dr. Pennington. “We appreciate Phillips 66 bringing the program to us and committing more than $450,000 towards the program and supporting technology. Additionally, Phillips 66 has agreed to help pay the license renewal fee for the next three years if needed. Our teachers and students will have access to a tool that we know will increase students’ math skills and make learning fun.”
Tim Seidel, Diane Anderson (PCR Community Relations), Dr. Pennington, and Barbara Cusick (Ponca City Schools Director of Curriculum) and Teri Vogele, Associate Director of Curriculum visited students at Lincoln Elementary and West Middle to view first-hand how the program was being received and how it is helping students be more engaged and teachers to be able to teach math at several different levels. “We are excited to bring our Ponca City teachers this new tool and program to teach our students math,” said Tim Seidel. “I believe that through the application of ST MATH, we will identify opportunities and provide immediate benefits that will help students on an individual basis. Moreover, it will give teachers and students more flexibility and allow students to advance their math skills at an accelerated rate. Through this program, we hope to instill a love of math and create tomorrow’s problem solvers.”[64]
October 16, 2016: Ponca Tribe Members Protest at Phillips 66 Ponca Refinery
The Osage Nation Supports the Standing Rock Sioux. The Osage Nation is providing emergency supplies to the protesters at Standing Rock and has issued a proclamation supporting Standing Rock opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners. Photo: Woolaroc
The Ponca City News reported in a front page story that dozens of members of the Ponca Tribe protested at Phillips 66's Ponca Refinery carrying signs decrying the pollution of water and air, a multitude of earthquakes and other negative results attributed to fracking. Tribal members also protested against oil pipelines across waterways, sacred lands and other tribal lands like the Phillips 66 funded Dakota Access Pipeline. Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners that has been the subject of months of protests by hundreds of members of the Standing Rock Sioux and supported by over 200 Indigenous Nations.[65]
- See also Osage Nation Sends Support to Standing Rock Sioux Protesting Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline September 2, 2016
October 13, 2016: United States Senators Call for a Halt to Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
Senators Bernie Sanders, Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Ben Cardin, and Ed Markey sent a letter to President Barack Obama this week asking him to direct the US Army Corps of Engineers to require a full environmental impact statement for the Lake Oahe crossing of the Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66. The senators added that "the project's current permits should be suspended and all construction stopped until a complete environmental and cultural review has been completed for the entire project."
Protests over the 1,172-mile pipeline erupted again this week after Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the project, resumed construction Monday morning. The pipeline, which would run from North Dakota to Illinois and cost $3.78 billion, has drawn criticism over its potential impact on the environment and the damage it could inflict to sacred grounds and water sources of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. In late July, the tribe filed a lawsuit against the US Army Corps of Engineers, alleging that the agency failed to properly consult the tribes before approving the pipeline. On Sunday, a federal appeals court denied the tribe's request to halt construction on the pipeline. The Obama administration repeated its request for Energy Transfer Partners to voluntarily suspend construction, but the company has disregarded that request.[66]
“In light of the decision of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reject the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request for a temporary halt to construction, the project’s current permits should be suspended and all construction stopped until a complete environmental and cultural review has been completed for the entire project,” the senators wrote. “If there is one profound lesson that indigenous people have taught us, it is that all of us as human beings are part of nature. We will not survive if we continue to destroy nature.”[67]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
October 13, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $250,000 to Bartlesville Girls and Boys Club
The Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise reported on October 13, 2016 that Phillips 66 is making a $250,000 donation to the Bartlesville Girls and Boys Club to help build the new C.J. “Pete” Silas Boys & Girls Club, which will replace the aging structure. The club plans to begin construction this fall with hopes of startings operations in the 2017-2018 school year. The state of the art facility will include a dedicated teen center, learning centers, gymnasium, technology and STEM lab, arts and music spaces, outdoor sporting courts, and an expanded kitchen to better accommodate the nutrition program. The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation will partner with the Club construct the playing field. “It's giving back to the community, and the Boys and Girls Club is one of the great institutions and organizations (in Bartlesville),” said Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland. “When you think back to Pete Silas, the former chairman of Phillips Petroleum, he was a great guy that was loved in the industry and a great leader for the company during some difficult times. No one ever questioned his ethics or integrity, and he's known for that.”[68]
October 12, 2016: Phillips 66 Makes Multi-Million Dollar Investment in Bartlesville Research Center
Bartlesville Radio reported on October 12, 2016 that Phillips 66 joined Public Service Company and Dallas-based contractor, Brandt Companies as they broke ground on a new electrical substation at the Research Center. The substation is a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment in the Phillips Research Center.[69] According to Phillips 66 Vice President of Technology Merl Lindstrom, the new substation is part of a Infrastructure Upgrade Program following a study of the Phillips 66 Research Center to increase viability for continued use and growth long into the future. Phillips 66 Chairman/CEO Greg Garland said the new substation and infrastructure upgrades at the Research Center indicates the company’s continued presence in Bartlesville, from today through the future.[70]
October 10, 2016: Chevron Phillips' $6 Billion Houston Expansion at Baytown Nears Completion
The Houston Chronicle reported on October 10, 2016 that Chevron Phillips Chemical, a joint venture between Chevron and Phillips 66, is nearing completion of their $6 billion expansion at Baytown. The project involves a massive ethane cracker - on a plot the size of 44 football fields - that will separate a component of natural gas called ethane, which will provide the feedstock for some 1.5 million metric tons a year of ethylene, a common building block of plastics. The project adds to a petrochemical boom primarily along the Gulf Coast, where chemical and plastic makers can take advantage of cheap and ample natural gas, the feedstock for their products. The growing demand for plastics is mostly coming from Asia, primarily China, but also India and Indonesia, where rising incomes are fueling appetites for consumer goods, said Ron Corn, a Chevron Phillips senior vice president. Chevron Phillips also built what is called a low-profile flare to release fewer emissions more discreetly - as opposed to the typical tall flare that looks a ball of fire in the sky."[71]
October 5, 2016: San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission Votes to Deny Phillips 66 Santa Maria Rail Spur Project
KCBX reported on October 5, 2016 that the proposal by Phillips 66 to increase the number of trains bringing crude oil to its Santa Maria refinery will not move forward with a recommendation by the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission with three out of five Commissioners voting to deny the request to build a rail spur at the facility. Mesa Refinery Watch Group Spokesperson Laurance Shinderman said that the issue is now likely headed to the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, but believes the recent vote helps set a tone for future debate. "When you have the planning staff saying no to it, and now the planning commissioners saying not to it...the sentiment seems to be leaning our way," said Shinderman.
Phillips 66 Spokesperson Dennis Nuss sent a statement to KCBX via email: "We presented a strong proposal, and will review the concerns raised today and consider our options, including the right to appeal."[72]
September 28, 2016: Archie Dunham Says that He Disagrees with Splitting Off Phillips 66 from ConocoPhillips
David Hunn wrote in the Houston Chronicle on September 28, 2016 that sixteen years ago, on his way to a black-tie fundraiser in Oklahoma City, Archie Dunham, then chief executive of the Houston oil company Conoco, stepped out of hotel elevator just as Jim Mulva, his counterpart at Phillips Petroleum of Oklahoma, emerged from another nearby. "Low prices and rising costs were driving a wave of mergers in the industry, including the blockbuster combination of Exxon and Mobil, and leaving smaller companies like Conoco and Phillips vulnerable to takeover," writes Hunn. "Dunham didn't like the idea of getting gobbled by a major oil company; he took the opportunity to broach the idea of a merger - a merger of equals - with Mulva." Big oil companies had been circling Conoco for some time when Dunham found himself in a hotel lobby with Mulva, the Phillips CEO. Dunham, in a recent interview, said Phillips seemed like a good partner to him. They had strengths in different parts of the world that complemented each other, he said, but they also came from essentially the same place. "We felt like our cultures, values, were very similar," Dunham said.
After running into each other at the Renaissance Waterford on that evening in 2000, Dunham and Mulva quickly parted, wary of being spotted together and tipping anyone off to their discussion. But they soon met again, secretly, in Colorado. Alone in a room in the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, they talked for four hours about business, family and values. A few months later, on a stormy day in November 2001, the two men met in Tulsa, Okla. to announce the merger that would create world's sixth biggest integrated oil company. The new firm would have $50 billion in revenues, $60 billion in assets, 8.7 billion barrels in oil reserves and 58,000 employees worldwide. Dunham persuaded Mulva to name the new company ConocoPhillips, and keep it headquartered in Houston. The city's easy access to international flights made the decision practical. "Besides, I was a Houstonian," Dunham said. "I wanted Houston to have the headquarters." In exchange, Dunham took the chairman slot; Mulva became chief executive.
Dunham retired in 2004. In 2012, the company split again, spinning off its refining, retail, and marketing operations to form Phillips 66, while ConocoPhillips focused on oil exploration and production. Mulva, still CEO then, said that two independent companies focused on their respective industries would be more competitive. He insisted both were big enough to compete and generated enough cash to invest in their futures. Dunham stayed out of the fray, he said recently. He wrote letters to the board, arguing that an integrated company can use cash from its refining business to fund oil exploration - but he never sent them. According to Hunn, the separation is a decision with which Dunham disagrees, even now.[73]
September 28, 2016: Health Official Says Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery Needs to Notify Local Agencies Faster Next Time it Learns of an Oil Spill Near its Facility
KQED News reported on September 28, 2016 that a top Bay Area health official said Phillips 66's Rodeo Refinery needs to notify local agencies faster next time it learns of an oil spill near its facility. Randy Sawyer, Contra Costa County’s chief environmental health and hazardous materials officer, said Phillips 66 took 10 hours to tell his agency about the spill, a delay that could have impacted the investigation. “Hours later the sheen was gone and there was no evidence of it at that location,” Sawyer said. “So we lost some valuable time in trying to determine where the oil came from.” Phillips 66 has not responded to requests for comment on its delay in contacting the county.
The refinery told the California State Warning Center shortly before 9 a.m., according to Shawn Boyd, a spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The company told Contra Costa’s hazardous materials program at 11 a.m., Sawyer said. The lack of answers frustrates at least one Vallejo city official. Councilwoman Katy Miessner said the possibility that an oil spill may have sickened some of the city’s residents is cause for concern. “I think this is something we’re going to have to address,” Miessner said. “Personally, I had no idea that we were vulnerable to the refineries across the bay.”[74]
The Times Herald reported on September 27, 2016 that the City of Vallejo has released an official statement about the pungent and mysterious odor that hung heavy in Vallejo last week. Residents reported an “unknown odor” primarily centered in South Vallejo that smelled of gasoline or natural gas. After dozens of patients began arriving at local hospitals in connection with breathing problems after inhaling the odor, the city issued a shelter-in-place order and advised residents to avoid being outside if possible. After the smell was noticed, a one-mile-by-40-foot sheen in the waterways was discovered near the the Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery Marine Terminal. The odor in Vallejo gradually dissipated throughout the night. Though the shelter-in-place warning in Vallejo was lifted at 6 a.m. Wednesday, some residents took to social media to report still being able to detect something in the air. As the second day progressed, an additional sheen was eventually detected in the surrounding waters and city officials were informed about a leak that was found across the waterway at the Phillips 66 refinery.
“To date, no entity has shared any information with city officials about a possible cause of the unknown odor,” according to the city’s statement. One Vallejo resident, Liz Harkness, is not satisfied with the city’s answers about the incident and has started a petition to the “decision makers” of Vallejo and Phillips 66 Refinery in Rodeo to release more definitive answers. “Is the air truly safe?” Harkness wrote in the petition. “People are still feeling ill today! Just what is the sheen made of? Is it effecting wildlife, the bay and rivers? How much is moving upstream with the tides? Are the wetlands in danger? Especially those along Highway 37 that were just restored. Too many questions. No answers in this age of science? I feel we’re being left out. They know more than they let on, and a lot of us in the city know it.”[75]
- See also Officials Investigate Whether Phillips 66's Rodeo Refinery Is Tied to San Pablo Bay Oil Spill September 16, 2016
September 23, 2016: Future Operator of Phillips Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Tops U.S. Crude Spill Charts
Reuters reported on September 23, 2016 that Sunoco Logistics, the future operator of Dakota Access Pipeline, partially owned by Phillips 66 and delayed this month after Native American protests in North Dakota, spills crude more often than any of its competitors with more than 200 leaks since 2010, according to a Reuters analysis of government data. Reuters analyzed data that companies are obliged to disclose to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) when they suffer spills and found that Sunoco leaked crude from onshore pipelines at least 203 times over the last six years. PHMSA data became more detailed in 2010. In its examination, Reuters tallied leaks in the past six years along dedicated onshore crude oil lines and excluded systems that carry natural gas and refined products. The Sunoco data include two of its pipeline units, the West Texas Gulf and Mid-Valley Pipeline. That made it the operator with the highest number of crude leak incidents, ahead of at least 190 recorded by Enterprise Products Partners and 167 by Plains All American Pipeline, according to the spill data reported to PHMSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Sunoco's spill rate shows protestors may have reason to be concerned about potential leaks. The main option that was considered for routing the line away from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reservation was previously discarded because it would involve crossing more water-sensitive areas north of the capital Bismarck, according to the project's environmental assessment.
The company has made previous efforts to improve safety, a former Sunoco employee who declined to be identified said. It overhauled safety culture after a spill in 2000, and did so again another in 2005 that dumped some 6,000 barrels of crude into the Kentucky River from its Mid-Valley Pipeline. Sunoco acknowledged the data and told Reuters it had taken measures to reduce its spill rate. "Since the current leadership team took over in 2012, Sunoco Pipeline has enhanced and improved our integrity management program," Sunoco spokesman Jeffrey Shields told Reuters by email. This significantly cut the amount of barrels lost during incidents, he said.[76]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B Dakota Access Pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
September 21, 2016: Officials Investigate Whether Phillips 66's Rodeo Refinery Is Tied to San Pablo Bay Oil Spill
KQED reported on September 21, 2016 that the U.S. Coast Guard and state officials are investigating an oil spill in San Pablo Bay that may have produced an odor that sickened dozens of Vallejo residents Tuesday night. It’s possible the Phillips 66 Refinery in Rodeo could be connected to the incident. Vallejo city officials issued a shelter-in-place order after hundreds of residents complained of a gas-like odor, which sent dozens to the hospital. “We had over 800 calls to our dispatch center of complaints of the smell, questions about what the smell is,” Vallejo Fire Department spokesman Kevin Brown said. “Several dozen of them were medical complaints, so we took several dozen patients into local hospitals.” The U.S. Coast Guard, the California Office of Spill Prevention and Response and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District are investigating.
KQED Science Editor Craig Miller, who lives in Vallejo, described the odor as it first began wafting through the area. “The air up here first starting turning acrid around 7:00 or 7:30 last evening and gradually became more intense. I would describe the smell as some kind of heavy petroleum distill,” Miller said. “It’s similar to the smell you would get driving by an oil tank farm except much, much more intense to the point where the city finally issued a shelter in place alert around 8:30.”
A light oily sheen was discovered shortly after 8 a.m. today at the Phillips 66 Refinery Marine Terminal in Rodeo, company spokesman Paul Adler wrote in an email to KQED. "At the time, a tanker was berthed at the marine terminal," wrote Adler. "Our internal response team immediately responded to the incident and we notified the National Response Center (NRC) and the United States Coast Guard. Operations at the marine terminal have been temporarily shut down and we are working closely with the Coast Guard and other agencies regarding the response." The email indicates the exact amount of oil released is not known, and the cause of the incident is under investigation."[77]
According to the Napa Valley Register a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station San Francisco Wednesday morning discovered a sheen just over a mile long and 40 yards wide in northern San Pablo Bay, and the Coast Guard and California Office of Spill Prevention and Response's pollution investigators aboard a small boat took samples to determine the source. A second sheen was identified Wednesday afternoon during a Coast Guard flight near the Phillips 66 Refinery's Marine Terminal in Rodeo, according to the Coast Guard. Several vessels and skimmers conducted containment and cleanup operations, and 1,000 feet of boom was placed in the water surrounding the refinery, Coast Guard officials said. No oiled wildlife had been observed as of this afternoon, and Coast Guard pollution investigators have not determined the source of either sheen. The Phillips 66 energy company confirmed a light oily sheen was discovered at the Marine Terminal in Rodeo this morning. Neither Phillips 66 officials nor the Coast Guard said the oil sheens are suspected of causing a mysterious odor that sickened many Vallejo residents Tuesday night.[78]
Phillips 66 officials released a statement saying: "At 8:00 a.m., a light oily sheen was discovered at the Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery Marine Terminal. At the time, a tanker was berthed at the marine terminal. Our internal response team immediately responded to the incident and we notified the National Response Center (NRC) and the United States Coast Guard. Operations at the marine terminal have been temporarily shut down and we are working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies regarding the response. The exact volume of material released is still being determined, and the cause of the incident is under investigation. At this time, there have been no injuries associated with the release and there is no anticipated health impact to the community. The safety of the community, the environment and our people are of utmost importance to our company and these priorities will guide our efforts as we work with the agencies on the response."
Officials said the sheen and smell were reported at the same time. "They do seem to be tied, in fact they happened at the same time. Again with the sheen being a mile long and 40 yards wide, it seems like it's more than just a coincidence that they occurred at the same time," Vallejo Fire Department spokesperson Kevin Brown said. Fire officials don't think the source of the smell is in Vallejo. Their gas detectors didn't pick up the trace of gas in the air and nothing was reported from the refineries. "We're continuing to check in with them, but so far they've reported there's been no burn offs and that there is nothing coming from them," Brown said.[79]
September 19, 2016: Federal Regulators Investigate Phillips Funded Sacagawea Pipeline
Infoforum reported on September 19, 2016 that federal pipeline regulators will be in North Dakota investigating claims from former crew members on the Sacagawea Pipeline that the coating of the pipe was not properly inspected before it was installed under Lake Sakakawea. The North Dakota Public Service Commission also has jurisdiction over the oil pipeline, but the safety allegations fall under the federal agency's area of authority, said PSC Chairwoman Julie Fedorchak. So far, the federal regulators have not notified state regulators that the Sacagawea Pipeline is out of compliance, said Fedorchak.[80] Sacagawea Pipeline Company is a joint venture owned 50 percent by Phillips 66 Partners.
- See also Former Worker Says Phillips Funded Sacagawea Pipeline at Risk for Oil Leak August 5, 2016
September 19, 2016: Garland to Speak in Bartlesville on October 11
The Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce announced on September 19, 2016 that Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland will speak to the chamber on October 11, 2016.
September 16, 2016: Delay in Phillip 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Could Cause $1.4 Billion in Losses in a Year
ThinkProgress reported on September 16, 2016 that builders of the Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, filed a brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit detailing its estimated economic losses and claiming it could lose $1.4 billion in a year if delays continue. “Even a temporary or limited injunction would have devastating long and short term impacts to the [Dakota Access Pipeline] project,” said the brief. In the brief, the company said customer contracts could be permanently lost if Dakota Access’ January 1, 2017 delivery schedule isn’t kept. In addition, 8,000 workers would be affected. Even a temporary delay would mean loses of over $430 million, according to Dakota Access. Just demobilizing the construction could cost $200 million. “These harms are irreparable,” Dakota Access, a company owned by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, said. The staggering figures the company listed have not been independently verified.
The Dakota Access pipeline has secured from the Army Corps of Engineers and the four Midwestern states most permits it needs. However, the pipeline lacks a federal easement for Lake Oahe, located by the Missouri River it is set to cross. The government also asked the company to voluntarily halt construction 20 miles east and west of the lake. North Dakota has been the focus of large Native American protests as the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which is now suing the federal government for giving developers the right of way, says the project threatens cultural sites and their drinking water source.[81]
The Chicago Tribune reported on September 17, 2016 that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said in a ruling late Friday that it needs more time to consider the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request for an emergency injunction. It said it will issue another order setting a date for oral arguments on the motion. The order "should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion," the panel said. Vicki Granado, spokeswoman for Dakota Access LLC, said the company does not comment on pending litigation. Craig Stevens, spokesman for the MAIN Coalition, Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now, called the ruling disappointing but said his group respects the panel's decision. "Judge Boasberg, in his thoughtful and thorough opinion last week, confirmed that the Army Corps of Engineers did their jobs expertly and in accordance with the law," Stevens said in a statement. "We are confident that another fair review of the corps' work will render the same decision."
The corps also issued a ruling on Friday granting the tribes a temporary permit that allows demonstrators to legally protest on federal lands managed by the agency. In turn, the tribe assumes responsibility for maintenance, damage and restoration costs, the security and safety of protesters, and liability insurance. Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer, North Dakota's lone member of the U.S. House, called the special permit a good compromise. "It protects the protesters' right to assemble and free speech, while at the same time protecting legal commerce to go forward," Cramer said. "It sets up parameters and certainly puts liability where liability belongs, with the protesters and the leaders of the protest movement."[82]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
See also:
- Future of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Is Uncertain September 10, 2016
- US Suspends Work on Part of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline September 9, 2016
- Protests Turn Violent at Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline As Tribe Accuses Company of Desecrating Sacred Sites September 4, 2016
- Osage Nation Sends Support to Standing Rock Sioux Protesting Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline September 2, 2016
- Thirty Arrested in Iowa in Bid to Disrupt Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline September 1, 2016
- Judge Rejects Motion to Restrict Protesters of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline August 30, 2016
- Worker Killed in Accident on Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline August 27, 2016
- Native Americans Wait on Court Decision on Controversial Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline August 24, 2016
- Iowa Farmers Complain that Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Wrecks Their Soil August 24, 2016
- Hundreds of Native Americans Continue Months-Long Protest Against Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline August 23, 2016
September 16, 2016: Washington State to Limit Carbon Pollution from Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery
KPUG reported on September 16, 2016 that Washington State environmental regulators have finalized a rule that will require large industrial emitters like the BP Cherry Point Refinery and Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery to gradually reduce carbon emissions by an average of 1.7% annually starting next year. Supporters say it’s needed to protect health and the environment. Republican Ferndale State Senator Doug Eriksen says the rule WON’T have a positive effect on the environment but WILL have a negative one on residents. “Families here in Washington state, they’re going to have to pay more to heat their homes. They’re going to have to pay more to drive their kids to school and to get to work, and really all for no reason,” says Eriksen.[83]
September 16, 2016: Judge Strikes Down Restraining Order Against Phillips Funded Sacagawea Pipeline Under Lake Sakakawea
KFYR reported on September 16, 2016 that Federal Judge Daniel Hovland has struck down a restraining order from the Three Affiliated Tribes and Chairman Mark Fox against Paradigm Energy Partners, LLC drilling two pipelines, one for natural gas and the other for oil, underneath Lake Sakakawea, allowing the project to continue. Paradigm Energy Partners is building the pipeline for Sacagawea Pipeline Company, a joint venture owned 50 percent by Phillips 66 Partners. Fox and the Three Affiliated Tribes filed for the restraining order against Paradigm Energy Partners, LLC, on August 19 for their construction of the Sacagawea Pipeline. Fox had argued that the Three Affiliated Tribes owned the mineral rights to the land, and Paradigm needed to get permission from both the United States government and the Tribes to build the line. In his ruling filed Sept. 13, Hovland decided that the United States held jurisdiction over the lake, and Paradigm properly obtained permits and easements with the Army Corps of Engineers for the project.[84]
- See also Court to Rule if Phillips 66 Funded Sacagawea Pipeline Needs Tribal Consent to Drill Under Lake Sakakawea September 2, 2016
- See also Former Worker Says Phillips Funded Sacagawea Pipeline at Risk for Oil Leak August 5, 2016
September 14, 2016: Phillip 66's Yellowstone Pipeline Has Had Several Serious Oil Spills on the Flathead Reservation
The Missoulian reported on September 14, 2016 that the Yellowstone Pipeline, originally owned by Conoco, Exxon, and Union Oil and now managed by Phillips 66, has had two major oil leaks on Native American Land since 1993. A 10,000-gallon gasoline leak at Camas Creek near Hot Springs in 1993 put Yellowstone Pipeline in a difficult negotiating position just as its 20-year permit to cross the Flathead Indian Reservation was up for renewal. Then-Tribal Chairman Mickey Pablo said the Tribal Council “was being extra careful” about a new deal in light of at least three serious spills on the reservation from the 40-year-old pipeline.
In addition to the Camas Creek spill, a break at Magpie Creek released about 163,000 gallons of fuel. Both leaks were reported by passing motorists and not the pipeline company; Camas Creek’s break reportedly ran 45 days before discovery. “The belief among many tribal members is that the risk associated with this pipeline is too great, that enough is enough,” Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes environmental protection division manager Bill Swaney told the Missoulian in 1994. “To the tribes, it’s not a question of money, but a question of trying to protect the environment. Many in the tribal public don’t want to take this chance anymore. The pipeline’s track record has been fairly dismal.”
In 1995, Yellowstone Pipeline offered the tribe a deal paying between $25 million and $30 million over 20 years for a lease renewal across the reservation. Tribal officials said the previous 20-year deal only paid about $250,000 and was accompanied by the environmental disasters. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council voted in early 1995 not to renew the lease. On April 20, 1995, pipeline managers turned off the flow at Missoula and started transferring the fuel to trucks and rail cars to Thompson Falls.[85]
September 14, 2016: ConocoPhillips Chief Says Bartlesville Remains Vital for the Company's Success
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on September 14, 2016 that ConocoPhillips Chairman/CEO Ryan Lance was in Bartlesville on September 14, 2016 for a Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce forum at City Church and said that Bartlesville operations of the company remain vital for future success. “(Bartlesville) is really the center, heart and soul of our company as well,” said Lance. “It’s been that way for 100 years. It’s really an important place.” Lance said while the company is streamlining many of its operations through cost-cutting, finding new efficiencies and employee reductions, ConocoPhillips Bartlesville operations will continue through the foreseeable future. “This is a functional excellence center for our company,” Lance said. “This is the place where we do all of our back office accounting and our (informational technology). We do that for the whole company out of Bartlesville. When we looked at it, it continues to be a place that is important for the company, it’s low-cost for the company. So it fits in where we are at, where we are trying to take the company.”
Over the course of his 30-plus year career, Lance said he has seen six downturns and five uptakes. Right now, Lance said, supply and inventory of crude oil is high, while demand is still soft, but the disparity is starting to even out. As a result, ConocoPhillips has lowered it’s break-even point for oil prices to $50 per barrel, while other producers are still counting on $60-$70 per barrel.[86]
September 12, 2016: ConocoPhillips Lays Off Another 90 Employees in Bartlesville After Previously Laying Off 170 in 2015
News6 reported on September 12, 20016 that ConocoPhillips has begun to lay off 90 employees in Bartlesville. ConocoPhillips employs 15,600 people worldwide with 1,400 employees in Bartlesville. The companywide layoffs amount to 6 percent of its workforce. "We expect to have approximately 90 workforce reductions in Bartlesville, which has around 1,400 employees," a company spokesperson based in Bartlesville said. The spokesman said there are no new reductions to report, but employees will be leaving the organization over the coming weeks as necessitated by each individual staff or business unit need.[87] The latest round of layoffs in Bartlesville come nearly one year after more cuts were made to the local workforce. In October 2015, ConocoPhillips reduced 10 percent of its workforce, including approximately 170 employees in Bartlesville. The spokesman could not confirm what areas of Bartlesville employees would be most affected. The majority of Bartlesville employess work in information technology, accounting and human resources for ConocoPhillips’ worldwide operations.[88]
In 2008 ConocoPhillips downsized their operation in Ponca City as about 700 office worker positions in Ponca City were relocated to Bartlesville or Houston. Most of ConocoPhillips' nonrefinery jobs in Ponca City were focused in the credit card, information technology, facilities and other support operations.[89]
September 10, 2016: Future of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Is Uncertain
Meenal Vamburkar writes at Bloomberg that the Obama administration's halt on work on a stretch of land where Energy Transfer Partners, partly owned by Phillips 66, is building its controversial Dakota Access oil pipeline could threaten to thrust the fate of the project into the hands of the next president. The government's intervention leaves Energy Transfer officials in limbo, whereas "at least with the court they had some certainty on timelines and how things are moving forward. Here they have no idea yet when this review is going to be complete," said Brandon Barnes, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. Though he said he sees no threat yet to completing the project on schedule by the end of the year, "we don't know how long this delay will last."
The question is whether "the prospect for future changes alleviates tension sufficiently so that things simmer down and the pipeline can go forward," said Christine Tezak, managing director at research firm ClearView Energy Partners in Washington. "If tensions don't diffuse, I don't know when we'll see it." The best-case scenario is a few months of delay, which could mean the project falls into the hands of the next administration, she said.
Last year, the Obama administration intervened to reject plans for Keystone. President Barack Obama said the project - which had been the subject of heated debate for seven years - wouldn't make a meaningful contribution to the U.S. economy, lower gasoline prices or increase the country's energy security. The Dakota Access case highlights "the need for a serious discussion on whether there should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes' views on these types of infrastructure projects," the Justice Department said, noting a plan to invite tribes to formal consultations this fall. "It was absolutely the right move," said Jane Kleeb, president of activist group Bold Alliance and, before the current battle, a prominent opponent of TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL pipeline. "They listened to the people on the ground and really looked at what's been happening."[90]
According to Reuters, should the pipeline be delayed for a substantial period, it would affect producers who had counted on demand for oil to be rapidly shipped to the U.S. Gulf, as well as shippers who could find themselves stuck with crude, putting them at risk of unloading it at a loss. It is unclear what the workaround will be if it is unable to build on the current route, though such reroutes can be costly. Other North American pipelines have in the past been rerouted in response to protests. Brigham McCown, the former head of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration under George W. Bush, said that reroutes can be fairly expensive, particularly if it needs to be moved substantially away from the locale of a dispute. "It could delay a project by years. If you're moving the pipeline to an area that's far enough, you may need to go through the regulatory process gain and get permits like ones for water and endangered species. It takes time," McCown said.
The lack of pipeline infrastructure also creates a problem for shippers. There is little commercial storage available in North Dakota, so storing large volumes is not a possibility. Shippers may have no choice but to sell off the oil at a loss, transport it via more expensive rail routes, or move crude through already-crowded pipelines to the U.S. storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma. That would hurt cash-strapped Bakken producers already dealing with the two-year global oil market rout, because of competitive prices from foreign imports. "In the absence of a new alternative, (Bakken) crude will have to use the existing infrastructure to move," said Sandy Fielden, the director of research for commodities and energy at Morningstar. "Producers will have to take lower prices to compete with imports."[91]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
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September 9, 2016: US Suspends Work on Part of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The New York Times reported on September 9, 2016 that the federal government has temporarily blocked construction on part of Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, acknowledging complaints from the Standing Rock Sioux and other tribal nations that their concerns had not been fully heard before federal overseers approved a pipeline that the tribe said could damage their water supplies and ancestral cultural sites. The Justice Department and other agencies called for “serious discussion on whether there should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes’ views on these types of infrastructure projects.” The government’s move, announced minutes after a federal judge rejected efforts by the Standing Rock Sioux, appeared to seek to ease tensions and reset the terms of a passionate debate that has cast the 1,170-mile Dakota Access pipeline either as an economic boon for the Plains or a threat to Native American sovereignty, waters and lands.
In a joint statement from the Departments of Justice, the Interior and the Army, the government announced that the pause applied to the pipeline’s path across a sliver of federal lands and under a dammed section of the Missouri River known as Lake Oahe. The lake, created by government-built dams a half-century ago, is a water source for the Standing Rock Sioux and a focal point of the dispute. The Army Corps of Engineers intends to review its previous decisions under federal environmental and other laws that had given approval for the pipeline. The government also urged the company building the pipeline to “voluntarily pause” all construction for 40 miles around Lake Oahe. The rest of the pipeline construction would not be affected.
“Today’s news is a stunning development,” said Jan Hasselman, a lawyer with Earthjustice, an environmental legal group that is representing the Standing Rock Sioux. “It vindicates what the tribe has been saying form the beginning: The process was wrong, and the legal standards for projects like these need reform.”[92]
The Department of Justice, the Department of the Army and the Department of the Interior issued a statement regarding Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that included the following:
“We appreciate the District Court’s opinion on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. However, important issues raised by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other tribal nations and their members regarding the Dakota Access pipeline specifically, and pipeline-related decision-making generally, remain. Therefore, the Department of the Army, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior will take the following steps. The Army will not authorize constructing the Dakota Access pipeline on Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe until it can determine whether it will need to reconsider any of its previous decisions regarding the Lake Oahe site under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or other federal laws. Therefore, construction of the pipeline on Army Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe will not go forward at this time. The Army will move expeditiously to make this determination, as everyone involved — including the pipeline company and its workers — deserves a clear and timely resolution. In the interim, we request that the pipeline company voluntarily pause all construction activity within 20 miles east or west of Lake Oahe.[93]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
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September 9, 2016: Phillips 66 Finalizes Sale of Whitegate Refinery to Irving Oil
After almost four years of talking about selling Whitegate Refinery, PR Newswire reported on September 9, 2016 that Irving Oil has assumed full ownership of Whitegate Refinery and will continue full operation of the facility, including maintaining its existing workforce. "Whitegate is a great facility, and is a good fit for our company," says Arthur Irving, Chairman of Irving Oil. "We are happy to welcome the Whitegate team to Irving Oil and we are looking forward to working together."[94] Greg Garland first told reporters on December 13, 2012 that Phillips would likely look to sell its Whitegate refinery in Cork, Ireland.[95]
September 7, 2016: Judge Extends Restraining Order on Phillips Partners Sacagawea Pipeline
Wday reported on September 8, 2016 that U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland extended the order that was requested by Paradigm Energy Partners, which is constructing two pipelines under Lake Sakakawea to transport oil and natural gas. The Sacagawea Pipeline Company is a joint venture owned 50 percent by Phillips 66 Partners. The Three Affiliated Tribes issued a cease and desist order to halt construction under the lake, which tribal leaders say required permission from the tribe. Paradigm then sued Chairman Mark Fox and Tribal Police Chief Nelson Heart in federal court, arguing the tribe has no authority to halt construction. Hovland granted Paradigm’s request for a temporary restraining order on Aug. 23 and construction on the pipeline resumed. In extending the order through Sept. 19, Hovland wrote that he needs additional time to “fully consider the complex legal issues” that are under consideration.[96]
September 4, 2016: Protests Turn Violent at Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline As Tribe Accuses Company of Desecrating Sacred Sites
Tim Mentz Sr., who helped start the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Tribal Historic Preservation Office, said bulldozers had likely dug through burial grounds with little regard and without allowing members of the tribe a chance to look for human remains. Photo: Democracy Now
The Osage Nation Supports the Standing Rock Sioux. The Osage Nation is providing emergency supplies to the protesters at Standing Rock and has issued a proclamation supporting Standing Rock opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners. Photo: Woolaroc
NPR reported on September 4, 2016 that protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, owned in part by Phillips 66, turned violent as demonstrators supporting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe faced off with private security officers from Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners and security officers threatened protesters with dogs. The Morton County Sheriff's Department said protesters marched from their encampment onto private lands, where the pipeline is being constructed. "Once protestors arrived at the construction area, they broke down a wire fence by stepping and jumping on it," the sheriff's office said. "According to numerous witnesses within five minutes the crowd of protestors, estimated to be a few hundred people became violent. They stampeded into the construction area with horses, dogs and vehicles." the Morton County Sheriff's Department said protesters marched from their encampment onto private lands, where the pipeline is being constructed. "Once protestors arrived at the construction area, they broke down a wire fence by stepping and jumping on it," the sheriff's office said. "According to numerous witnesses within five minutes the crowd of protestors, estimated to be a few hundred people became violent. They stampeded into the construction area with horses, dogs and vehicles."[97]
According to KCTV, an estimated 500 protesters entered the construction zone. Pipeline security officers told authorities they were jabbed with fence posts and flag poles during the altercation. Witnesses report that attack dogs and tear gas were allegedly used on protesters. "They were able to stop the pipeline by giving them the run over the next ridge," said George Henry, a bystander. "But understand a few of the warriors received the gas." "I wasn't expecting them to mace, it came out of nowhere," one protester said. "They let the dogs loose on a horse, and they maced a woman in the face, this close range, that's what started it all." A spokesperson for Morton County Sheriff's Department said protestors did assault security officers working for Dakota Access.[98]
Protesters disputed the authorities' account, CNN affiliate KFYR said. Demonstrators said the guards sprayed many of the activists with pepper spray and tear gas, and some protesters were injured by the guards' dogs. "It was kind of scary," Lonnie Favel told KFYR. "A lot of people are out here with their children. Accidents happen all the time with dogs, and people could really get hurt."[99]
According to Indian Country Media, The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed an emergency motion Sunday for a temporary restraining order to prevent further destruction of the Tribe’s sacred sites by Dakota Access Pipeline. “On Saturday, Dakota Access Pipeline and Energy Transfer Partners brazenly used bulldozers to destroy our burial sites, prayer sites and culturally significant artifacts,” Tribal Chairman David Archambault II said. “They did this on a holiday weekend, one day after we filed court papers identifying these sacred sites. The desecration of these ancient places has already caused the Standing Rock Sioux irreparable harm. We’re asking the court to halt this path of destruction.”
“Destroying the Tribe’s sacred places over a holiday weekend, while the judge is considering whether to block the pipeline, shows a flagrant disregard for the legal process,” said Jan Hasselman, attorney for the Standing Rock Sioux. “The Tribe has been seeking to vindicate its rights peacefully through the courts. But Dakota Access Pipeline used evidence submitted to the Court as their roadmap for what to bulldoze. That’s just wrong.”[100]
NPR reported on September 6, 2016 that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it does not oppose the temporary halt of construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline, owned in part by Phillips 66. Over the weekend, the tribe filed an emergency motion asking the court to halt construction of the pipeline. In one filing, Tim Mentz Sr., who helped start the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Tribal Historic Preservation Office, said bulldozers had likely dug through burial grounds with little regard and without allowing members of the tribe a chance to look for human remains. "The Corps acknowledges that the public interest would be served by preserving peace near Lake Oahe until the Court can render its well-considered opinion on Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction," the Corp said. "The Corps therefore does not oppose this short and discrete temporary restraining order."[101][102]
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on September 7, 2016 that U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order that work will temporarily stop between North Dakota's State Highway 1806 and 20 miles east of Lake Oahe, but will continue west of the highway because he believes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lacks jurisdiction on private land. The judge said he will rule by the end of Friday on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's challenge of federal regulators' decision to grant permits to the Dallas, Texas-based operators of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which will cross North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairman Dave Archambault II issued a statement after the ruling, saying: "Today's denial of a temporary restraining order ... west of Lake Oahe puts my people's sacred places at further risk of ruin and desecration." Attorney Jan Hasselman with Earthjustice, who filed the broader lawsuit on behalf of the tribe, noted the tribe will "know more by the end of the week about where we're heading."
Over the weekend, workers allegedly bulldozed sites on private land that Hasselman said in court documents was "of great historic and cultural significance to the tribe." The tribe's cultural expert, Tim Mentz Sr., said in court documents that the tribe believes there are human remains in the area and that it wants "an opportunity to rebury our relatives." Lawyers for Energy Transfer Partners filed court documents Tuesday morning denying that workers have destroyed any cultural sites and asking the judge to reject the tribes' request for a temporary work stoppage. The company said it "has taken and continues to take every reasonable precaution" to protect cultural sites.[103]
Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
September 2, 2016: Osage Nation Sends Support to Standing Rock Sioux Protesting Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
Bartlesville Radio reported on September 2, 2016 that the Osage Nation has expressed their support for the Standing Rock Sioux as they continue to protest the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline, owned in part by Phillips 66. “The Osage Nation supports the people of Standing Rock who are protecting the land and waters,” said Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey M. Standing Bear of the situation. “People everywhere should think hard about the priorities of our society. Should the earth be used up by the human race or should we respect the limits of the earth?”
The Osage Nation is providing emergency supplies to the protesters at Standing Rock. Some of the items the Osages have shipped to those camped at Cannonball River include: 720 blankets, 72 all-weather heavy-duty flashlights and batteries, and 100 hand-held flashlights with batteries. More supplies will be coming from the Osage Nation and Osage Casinos. “Our Chief asked our casino staff last week to mobilize vendors and resources in support of our brothers and sisters at Standing Rock, after we heard the water supply had been cut off to the Cannonball River gathering,” said Byron Bighorse, CEO of Osage Casino. “After finding out that water was in route to them, we asked what other vital provisions they needed. It was determined that blankets, flashlights and batteries were a priority, so we immediately arranged for those items to be rush shipped to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe organizers. We are honored to help,” added Bighorse.
The Sioux Tribe website calls this “another chapter in the long history of the federal government granting the construction of potentially hazardous projects near or through tribal lands, waters, and cultural places without including the tribe.”[104][105]
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September 2, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $11,000 Towards Walking Track at Redbud Creek
The Ponca City News reported on September 2, 2016 that Phillips 66 donated $11,000 and the Woodlands Parent Teacher Association (PTA) donated another $5,000 for a one-quarter mile long walking track at Redbud Park near Woodlands School. In appreciation of the grant from Phillips 66, the track was named The Phillips 66 Walking Track at Redbud Park.
The school plans to require students to walk or run a lap around the track each day at the beginning of recess, with additional laps encouraged. In addition, the track will be used often for P.E. running activities. At other times, classes will take a “brain break” by running or walking a few laps before returning to class. The track is open for public use in the park.[106]
September 2, 2016: Court to Rule if Phillips 66 Funded Sacagawea Pipeline Needs Tribal Consent to Drill Under Lake Sakakawea
The Jamestown Sun reported on September 2, 2016 that a federal judge will issue what could be a precedent-setting decision after hearing arguments on whether Paradigm Energy Partners LLC, owned 50 percent by Phillips 66 Partners, needed consent from American Indian tribes to drill two pipelines through tribally owned minerals under North Dakota's largest body of water. After nearly five hours of testimony and legal arguments on September 1, 2016 in U.S. District Court in Bismarck, Judge Daniel Hovland took the matter under advisement, allowing drilling under Lake Sakakawea to continue until he issues his ruling while also lamenting the lack of legal opinions offered by attorneys and previous case law on the issue. "It sounds like I'm going to be left to interpret this with no guidance from anybody," Hovland said. Paradigm Energy Partners LLC has already completed a $125 million oil pipeline under the lake and is boring the hole for a companion $16.6 million natural gas pipeline over the objections of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, otherwise known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. The hearing on Paradigm's request for an injunction against the tribe ended without a firm timeline for Hovland's ruling, but the judge noted that the restraining order expires on Monday or Tuesday and he can extend it for 14 days for "good cause." "Certainly, in my view, good cause exists because I've got a multitude of issues to sort through," he said.
Tribal officials said Paradigm offered up to $2 million during a June 9 council meeting to resolve the right-of-way and other issues related to the pipelines. "And I believe they said they had a check there," Tribal Attorney Caleb Dog Eagle recalled. Paradigm CEO Troy Andrews said that while the company never believed it needed the tribes' legal consent, "I wanted to get a deal done."[107]
September 1, 2016: Thirty Arrested in Iowa in Bid to Disrupt Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Des Moines Register reported on September 1, 2016 that 30 activists were arrested on the Farm Progress grounds in Boone, Iowa in an effort aimed at disrupting construction of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66. The protest represented one of the largest demonstrations yet in Iowa against the four-state pipeline project. It also was the first time a formal effort was made to encourage a large number of arrests in a bid to obstruct construction work in Iowa. Organizers vowed afterward that additional demonstrations will be forthcoming, along with more arrests. Crystal Defatte, 31, of Bettendorf, a stay-at-home mother with three children, was among those arrested as she stood with other protesters in solidarity against the pipeline project. "Every year you hear about oil spills. I don't want oil in the water that my children drink. This is a moral responsibility for me," Defatte said.
A representative of Precision Pipeline, a contractor for Dakota Access, told the protesters they were not welcome and asked them to leave after they tried to create human chains to block four entrances to the site. Authorities then repeatedly told the protesters they had the opportunity to leave without being taken into custody, but all of those arrested refused to move.
Business leaders and union construction workers have lined up in support of the pipeline project, citing positive economic benefits and a desire for U.S. energy security.[108]
There were no violent events during the protest, and law enforcement officials at the site expressed satisfaction with how it unfolded. Among the protesters was Dick Lamb, who owns land a few miles from the protest site through which the pipeline is passing. "They are tearing through (our property), separating the precious topsoil," Lamb said. "We feel betrayed by our state government, all three branches of it. They didn't stop (the pipeline). They enabled it."[109] Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
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August 31, 2016: Tyler Crowe Says Phillips 66 is One of the Best-Run Companies in the Oil and Gas Sector
Tyler Crowe wrote at The Motley Fool on August 31, 2016 that he thinks Phillips 66 is one of the three best run companies in the oil and gas sector - largely because CEO Greg Garland has done an admirable job running the company -- and allocating capital wisely -- since it was spun out of ConocoPhillips in 2012. Crowe says that refining and marketing produces the lion's share of the company's cash flow and profits but the growth prospects in refining are minimal, and can eat up huge amounts of capital while taking a very long time to pay off. "But the refining business also gives the company a big advantage over its integrated and producer peers. They have felt the brunt of low oil and gas prices on their bottom lines, while Phillips 66 has continued to generate big cash flows. And it's how Garland and team treat those cash flows -- and what they don't do with them -- that emphasizes how well-run the company is," writes Crowe. "Garland has so far allocated capital to growth projects in the midstream and petrochemicals space, expanding the company's own capacity instead of making splashy acquisitions that often don't generate the promised returns. By staying focused on internal growth, the company avoids a lot of the pitfalls that come with big acquisitions."[110]
August 30, 2016: Judge Rejects Motion to Restrict Protesters of Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Des Moines Register reported on August 30, 2016 that a federal judge in Des Moines has denied a request for a temporary restraining order to prevent activists from interfering with construction in Iowa of the Dakota Access Pipeline, owned in part by Phillips 66. The ruling by Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger means protests aimed at halting the $3.8 billion pipeline project will apparently proceed Wednesday in rural Boone County. Ed Fallon, a leader of Bold Iowa, one of the anti-pipeline groups, said he anticipates 50 to 100 people will participate in the protests in the Pilot Mound area, and about 20 activists will risk arrest in an effort to halt the pipeline project. The Dakota Access petition was aimed at restricting Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Bold Iowa, both of which strongly oppose the pipeline project, as well as "unknown parties." CCI and Bold Iowa issued defiant statements after the judge's ruling, although both groups have pledged that any protests will be non-violent. However, some activists have said they will engage in civil disobedience in an effort to halt construction of the pipeline. “We have been in this pipeline fight for over two years, and have vowed to use all of the tools available to us in our fight,” said Adam Mason, state policy director at Iowa CCI. “We will not be deterred or bullied by Big Oil.”
Dakota Access, a unit of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, had asked the court to keep protesters at least 25 feet away from the pipeline project, suggesting it would still allow protesters to exercise their First Amendment rights of free speech.[111] Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
Dakota Access similarly tried to block demonstrators in North Dakota, where an ongoing protest by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe against the pipeline has expanded to thousands of people. Standing Rock Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II wrote in an New York Times op-ed that the overblown reaction on the part of the oil giant, as well as North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple—who declared a state of emergency over the protests—violated civil and human rights and amounted to the local government "act[ing] as the armed enforcement for corporate interests."
Meanwhile, another federal judge is expected to issue a ruling by Sept. 9 as to whether or not the Army Corps of Engineers violated the Standing Rock Sioux's treaty rights in approving the pipeline.[112]
August 30, 2016: Phillips 66 Cuts Production at Bayway Refinery
Reuters reported on August 30, 2016 that Phillips 66 has cut production by roughly 5 percent at Bayway Refinery amid weak refining margins, according to a source familiar with the refinery's operations. The U.S. gasoline crack spread, an indicator of how much refiners make from converting a barrel of oil into a barrel of gasoline, remains at its lowest level in the past five years. The U.S. diesel crack spread also remains at five-year lows. U.S. and global refining margins have been hurt by historically high gasoline and diesel inventories. Refining executives and analysts across the globe are predicting refiners are going to be forced to scale back production to reduce inventories, balance the market and boost margins. East Coast refineries see some of the weakest margins due in part to their supply constraints, and experts predict they would be among the first to cut runs.[113]
August 29, 2016: Phillips 66 Senior Vice President for Health, Safety and Environment to Retire
Houston Business Journal reported on August 29, 2016 that Debbie Adams, Senior Vice President for Health, Safety and Environment, will retire Aug. 31 after 33 years at Phillips 66. “Debbie has had a tremendous impact on our organization throughout her entire career, and has been a great partner to me and the executive leadership team,” said Chairman and CEO Greg Garland. “Under her leadership, Phillips 66 has established itself as a safety leader, achieving first-quartile performance the past two years for both combined total recordable rate and lost workday case rate.” Adams will be succeeded by Jay Churchill who got his start at Conoco in 1979 as a plant process engineer at the Lake Charles Refinery in Louisiana.[114]
August 27, 2016: Worker Killed in Accident on Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
The Associated Press reported on August 27, 2016 that a man working on the four-state Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, was killed in an apparent accident in western North Dakota, said North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk. Kalk said the man was on a tractor Thursday, covering the underground pipeline with soil and grass seed. Kalk said the company reported Friday that the man suffered a serious head injury, apparently while working on equipment. He was taken to a Minot hospital, where he died.[115] Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
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August 27, 2016: Court Battle Brews over Phillips Funded Sacagawea Pipeline Under Lake Sakakawea
The West Fargo Pioneer reported on August 27, 2016 that the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation asserts that Sacagawea Pipeline Company, a joint venture owned 50 percent by Phillips 66 Partners, was required but failed to get the tribe's permission to begin pipeline construction under Lake Sakakawea. The Tribal Business Council voted August 3, 2016 to issue a cease and desist order to halt all construction under Lake Sakakawea. Lake Sakakawea is the drinking water source for several western North Dakota cities, including communities on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. "Paradigm was informed on several different occasions that the consent of the MHA Nation would not be granted unless there were adequate assurances that an oil pipeline under the lake posed no threat to the MHA Nation's water resources," Tribal Chairman Mark Fox wrote in an Aug. 8 letter. "To date, that assurance has not been provided to the MHA Nation's satisfaction." Paradigm filed a federal lawsuit on Aug. 19 against Fox and Tribal Police Chief Nelson Hart arguing they have no authority to halt construction. The company is constructing two 70-mile companion oil and natural gas pipelines that will travel from McKenzie to Mountrail counties.
The Sacagawea Pipeline is also under investigation by federal pipeline regulators after former contractors said the pipeline was installed under the lake without being properly inspected. The owner of Boyd & Co. told Forum News Service the pipeline was properly inspected and he says the claims are false accusations made by workers who were fired. About 8,980 feet of the pipeline system will pass under Lake Sakakawea via the installation of about 10,980 feet of welded steel pipeline, the Corps of Engineers said in its environmental assessment. The pipeline will be installed at least 100 feet below the lakebed through horizontal directional drilling with emergency shut-off valves on either side of the lake and around-the-clock pipeline monitoring to detect leaks.[116][117][118]
August 27, 2016: Plaquemines Parish Tries to Close Breach in Levee That Protects Phillips 66's Alliance Refinery
WWL Tv reported on August 27, 2016 that Plaquemines Parish Emergency Management Officials are on high alert after a breach along the bayou side levee near the Phillips 66's Alliance Refinery raised the alarm for parish leaders. The breach was discovered where a pipeline crosses the levee. Within six hours the breach had reached 20 feet wide, prompting swift response. Plaquemines Parish crews immediately reacted. Generators were on site providing light and started to work getting 2000 pound sandbags into the breach. Low lying areas along Louisiana Highway 23 in Plaquemines parish are at risk for flooding during hurricane season. Earthen levees on either side protect homeowners and industry there. “It is a grave concern of ours, and we are monitoring it every day with the resources that we have,” says Council Chair Kirk Lepine. Emergency management says the breach does not pose a flooding threat to homes or Highway 23 right now. The water is coming in from the Barataria Bay side and moving back into the drainage canal, and then moving back to Barataria Bay.
Lepine says a hurricane could change that and wonders if aging infrastructure can weather a bigger storm. Lepine says he hopes that the levee is inspected every week, but he was not sure. Lepine says with budget cutbacks, levee monitoring is now split between departments. It's something that needs to be addressed. “Before it was inspected every week. And if there were deficiencies in the levee we were notified. We tried to stay on top of it as much as we can."[119][120]
NOLA reported on August 29, 2016 that two days after water began pouring through a levee in Plaquemines Parish, local officials working with the Louisiana National Guard successfully plugged the breach with sandbags Sunday night (Aug. 28), authorities said. The breach had widened from 20 feet to more than 70 feet, but it never threatened local residences or Louisiana 23, said Plaquemines government admininstration spokesman Michael Powell.[121]
WWL reported on August 30, 2016 that a temporary patch appears to be holding, but with a tropical system churning and gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, a construction crew is working around the clock to repair the gap that could threaten the only hurricane evacuation route in the lower end of the parish. Officials expect a permanent fix to be in place by Friday at the earliest. “We’re going to get it. We got it down to a trickle,” said Lonnie Davis, who owns Mega Industries, the company working on the levee repair project. “This was a raging river in here when we got here. I mean, it was really bad.” The damaged levee is part of a system of non-federal back levees designed to keep flood water off of Highway 23 – the lone route out of the lower end of the parish. “It’s protecting the residents of Myrtle Grove, Ironton, it’s protecting the Phillips 66 refinery, an entire Entergy substation that provides power to our lower end,” said Patrick Harvey, Plaquemines Parish’s emergency manager.[122]
August 26, 2016: Phillips 66 Partners to buy Chevron’s South Louisiana NGL Logistics Assets
Energy Business Review reported on August 26, 2016 that Phillips 66 Partners has entered into an agreement to acquire a natural gas liquids (NGL) logistics system in southeast Louisiana currently owned by Chevron. The system comprises nearly 500 miles of pipelines and a storage cavern connecting multiple fractionation facilities, refineries and a petrochemical facility. The acquisition includes an approximately 300-mile TENDS pipeline system, which is a bidirectional NGL pipeline system connected to third-party fractionators, refineries. Phillips 66 plans to finance the transaction with cash and borrowings under the Partnership’s revolving credit facility. “This acquisition will expand the Partnership’s NGL footprint into the Louisiana market," syas Phillips 66 Partners president. "The assets are strategically located and connect offshore production, local refineries and petrochemical facilities in south Louisiana while providing significant opportunities for fee-based growth.”[123]
August 24, 2016: Native Americans Wait on Court Decision on Controversial Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
PBS reported on August 24, 2016 that at least 300 people opposed to the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, funded in part by Phillips 66, waited anxiously outside a D.C. federal courthouse this afternoon for a decision on whether or not the project can to continue. And now they’ll have to wait just a little longer. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers on July 27 to stop the pipeline that would cross under the Missouri River, the reservation’s sole source of water. The corps approved the pipeline last month, but the tribe argues they were not properly consulted, and that cultural and historical sites would be destroyed during construction. Judge James E. Boasberg from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia said he will make a decision about the $3.7 billion Dakota Access Pipeline on or before September 9. “We’re very concerned because construction is ongoing,” said Jan Hasselman, a lawyer with EarthJustice, an environmental advocacy organization representing the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “In another couple of weeks or a month there won’t be anything left to protect.” The tribe, whose land is located a half-mile south of the pipeline, has resisted the project for months. People started gathering near the construction site in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, in April to stage demonstrations. In recent weeks, hundreds more arrived, and some sparked confrontations with police and construction workers. At least 28 people people were arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing this month. The pipeline company says it halted work after some demonstrators attacked workers with rocks and bottles. With the legal ruling delayed until next month, it is uncertain what will happen at the site and to the several hundred protesters camped nearby. “We have to play by the rules the federal government has given us,” David Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, told PBS NewsHour. “We’re still going to pray and be in peace and ensure our strength in unity is powerful.”[124]
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August 24, 2016: Iowa Farmers Complain that Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline Wrecks Their Soil
The Des Moines Register reported on August 24, 2016 that some Iowa farmers want builders of the 1,154-mile Dakota Access pipeline, owned in part by Phillips 66, to put their soil back the way they found it. Francis Goebel now has a scar running across his soybean fields where the dark, fertile topsoil is being stacked on top of several feet of hard clay mixed with clay loam and fear his soil will less suited for growing crops — and much less valuable. "Nature separated those soils for a reason, that's the way I feel," said Goebel, who runs a 164-acre century farm in Sioux County. "If nature put it there, they should put it back the way it was." Although Dakota Access is separating the rich topsoil from the soil beneath, it isn't being as careful with the next two layers, mixing the clay loam subsoil with the hard clay underneath. Goebel acknowledges he was well compensated by Dakota Access for the 12-acre easement the company obtained to cross his land. He received $21,000 per acre for the easement, plus payments for initial crop losses. But he's worried about his future corn and soybean yields. In some places, crews excavated 20 feet deep, meaning the hard clay at the bottom could end up just a couple feet from the ground. "To me, it's a scar."
Tom Konz acknowledges that it is too late for his and his neighbor's land — contractors buried the pipe last week. But he wants other Iowa landowners in the pipeline's path to remain vigilant about their soil as crews begin tearing into the ground. Konz received about $102,000 from Dakota Access, a figure that included payments for the easement, plus three years' worth of crop damage. But he said that's nothing compared with the ongoing costs of anticipated crop losses. "The rest of my life, I guarantee you will see that pipeline forever," Konz said. "It will come up as red (on a yield map). We'll fight it every year for yield loss."
But Dakota Access attorney Bret Dublinski noted that all the contested farms already had tile buried under crops to help drain fields. It is often removed, repaired and replaced, he said. "You cannot consistently argue both that Dakota Access is going to irreparably harm my soil because it hasn’t been changed in 1,000 years and then also say 'I'm concerned about my pattern tile that I put in by turning up the soil,'" Dublinski said. "… Those are arguments that simply cannot exist in the same space."[125]
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August 24, 2016: Phillips 66 Shuts Gasoline-Producing Unit at Lake Charles Refinery
Reuters reported on August 24, 2016 that Phillips 66 shut a gasoline-making reformer unit at Lake Charles Refinery earlier this month, and advanced planned work on the unit, said two sources familiar with the work. The unit is slated to return to return to service in mid-September.[126]
August 23, 2016: Refinery Vessel Arrives at Ponca Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on August 23, 2016 that a 92 ton refinery vessel arrived at the Ponca Refinery on a 132 foot long trailer. The combined weight of the trailer and vessel was 180 tons.[127]
August 23, 2016: Hundreds of Native Americans Continue Months-Long Protest Against Phillips 66 Funded Dakota Access Pipeline
Nasdaq reported on August 23, 2016 that construction will remain halted on the 1,154-mile Dakota Access pipeline, owned in part by Phillips 66, as a federal judge postponed a hearing to determine whether protesters should be prevented from accessing the site near the Missouri River. Tensions between the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which opposes the pipeline, and local police have escalated in recent weeks. More than two dozen protesters have been arrested after they blocked entry to the site 34 miles south of Mandan, N.D. The pipeline's developer, Dakota Access LLP, has filed a lawsuit seeking to block protesters from the site. Phillips 66 owns a 25% stake in the $3.7B pipeline that is being built by Energy Transfer Partners.
A coalition of Native American groups that oppose the pipeline sent out an appeal to human rights groups to come to the North Dakota site, calling the situation a crisis. The Standing Rock Sioux argue that the pipeline threatens sacred sites and poses a risk to the tribe's drinking-water supply, since they say the pipeline would cross the Missouri River just upstream from the reservation. "We are committed to peaceful defense of our water and our territory," the groups said.[128]
According to Jack Healy writing in the NY Times, people have been gathering since April, but as hundreds more poured in over the past two weeks, confrontations began rising among protesters, sheriff’s officers and construction workers with the pipeline company. Local officials are struggling to handle hundreds of demonstrators filling the roads to protest and camp out in once-empty grassland about an hour south of Bismarck, the state capital. The pipeline company says it was forced to shut down construction this month after protesters threatened its workers and threw bottles and rocks at contractors’ vehicles. Leaders from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, whose reservation lies just south of the pipeline’s path, say the protests are peaceful. Weapons, drugs and alcohol are prohibited from the protest camp. Children march in the daily demonstrations. The protesters sleep in tents and tepees, cook food in open-air kitchens and share stories and strategies around evening campfires. There is even a day care. At morning meetings, speakers warn parents to keep their children away from the Missouri River at sunset, and remind one another they are camped out in prayer. For many, the effort was about reclaiming a stake in ancestral lands that had been whittled down since the 1800s, treaty by broken treaty. “Lands were constantly getting reduced, shaken up,” said Dave Archambault II, the tribal chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux. “I could give you a list of every wrongdoing this government did to our people. All of that is frustration pent up, and it’s being recognized.”
Energy Transfer Partners says it has the necessary state and federal permits and hopes to finish construction by the end of the year. The pipeline’s route starts in the Bakken oil fields of western North Dakota and ends in Illinois. The United States Army Corps of Engineers says it consulted extensively with tribes, including the Standing Rock Sioux, and it says that tribe has failed to describe specific cultural sites that would be damaged by the pipeline.[129] Builders say the pipeline will enable domestically produced light sweet crude oil from North Dakota to reach major refining markets in a more direct, cost-effective, safer and environmentally responsible manner. The pipeline will also reduce the current use of rail and truck transportation to move Bakken crude oil to major U.S. markets to support domestic demand. Shippers will be able to access multiple markets, including Midwest and East Coast markets as well as the Gulf Coast via the Nederland, Texas crude oil terminal facility of Sunoco Logistics Partners. According to Energy Transfer, the company holds their pipelines to a standard that exceeds state and federal regulations performing routine ground and aerial leak inspections about every 10 days, when federal rules only require these inspections every 14 days.[130]
- Learn More About Dakota Access Pipeline
August 23, 2016: Aging Phillips 66 Pipeline Under Rattlesnake Creek Replaced in Montana
The Missoulian reported on August 23, 2016 that Yellowstone Pipeline and Phillips 66 replaced an aging fuel pipe under Rattlesnake Creek in Missoula County, Montana that is part of a 690-mile network moving liquid fuels like gasoline and diesel between Billings and Moses Lake, Washington. Yellowstone Pipeline manages the network for Phillips 66. “Their deferred maintenance was causing concerns. If there was a break-up, there would be a lot of ice and debris that could cause scour downstream. It’s just too big a risk to leave down here," said Missoula County Environmental Health Supervisor Peter Nielsen. “The old pipeline was less than 2 feet below the streambed. We’ve been very concerned about this. The new line will be 12 or 13 feet down. This will be a lot safer when we’re done.” Yellowstone Pipeline and Phillips 66 have been replacing several water crossings in recent years, including one on the Clark Fork near Turah three years ago and one on Deer Creek east of Missoula last year. Two more replacements are expected this year, near Clinton and Bearmouth on the Clark Fork River. “Once the new line is in service, we’ll thoroughly clean the old section under the creek and permanently seal it off,” said Phillips 66 spokesman Dennis Nuss. “Our ultimate goal is to preserve and protect the creek.”[131]
August 18, 2016: Phillips Celebrates 66 Years of Splash Club Tradition in Bartlesville
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on August 18, 2016 that the Phillips 66 Splash Club in Bartlesville is celebrating its 66th year of tradition, of fun, or hard work, of a journey to national and international significance, and of helping to mold countless children into successful adults and of excellence. "Who would have thought that a small deed of an idea in 1950 ... would have grown into the dream of the continuing dominance of United States swimming,” said Ken Treadway who was hired in 1950 by then Phillips Petroleum Director of Recreation Bud Browning as the first Splash Club coach. That decision put in motion an amateur organization — the longest of its kind in United States history — that has influenced the lives of thousands of Bartlesville area children. The urrent Splash Club head coach Chad Englehart feels proud to be able to help celebrate the 66th Anniversary of the founding of the club and is hoping his current swimmers participate in all the doings set for Labor Day Weekend including an alumni meet on Saturday, a gathering on Saturday evening and a picnic on Sunday at Woolaroc. “I want to show them off and show what a great crop of young people we have now in the program. I want them hear what the Splash Club has meant to USA Swimming, to Bartlesville and to the adults that will be there.”[132]
Kenneth Treadway founded the Phillips 66 Splash Club on December 6, 1950. Since then thousands of swimmers have participated, including second-generation Splash Club members. The Splash Club has developed Junior National Championship, National Championship, and Olympic Trials Qualifiers. In addition, U.S. National Team members, High School All-American Swimmers, and collegiate swimmers have been fostered by Splash Club. We are recognized as one of the finest programs in the nation including members holding state records. The team name was changed in September of 2002 to reflect the merger of Phillips Petroleum Company and Conoco to the ConocoPhillips Splash Club. In 2012 the team again changed names to Phillips 66 Splash Club to reflect the separation of Phillips 66 from ConocoPhillips.[133]
August 19, 2016: Can Phillips 66 Survive with Low Refining Margins?
David Lettis wrote at the Motley Fool on August 19, 2016 that for a company that depended on refining for over 60% of its earnings in the first half of 2015, Phillips' brutally low refining margins, which dropped 40% from a year ago, should strike any investor as an alarming development. But according to Lettis, despite the sharp decrease in Phillips' refining margin, though, there are a couple of reasons why the company remains well positioned for future growth. First, in its refining business, yield improvement projects at the Wood River Refinery are scheduled for completion in the third quarter. Additionally, improvements to increase heavy Canadian crude utilization at its Billings Refinery should be complete in the first half of 2017, and modernization projects to increase gasoline yields at its Bayway Refinery will finish up in 2018. Second, Phillips 66's midstream business is on the right track with joint ventures to develop the Dakota Access and Energy Transfer Crude Oil pipelines remaining on schedule to come online by the end of 2016 and an expansion project at its Beaumont Terminal will add 3.2 million barrels of new storage capacity by mid-2017. Finally while low refining margins are hard to overcome, Phillips actually increased its marketing fuel margins and brought in higher adjusted marketing earnings than a year ago. "This is vitally important for its long-term profitablity as it shows how the company can work through hard times for a core business," says Lettis. "It's hard to look past the low refining margins and it is prudent to monitor the situation. With strong cash flows, though, as well as multiple sources of revenue and continued investment focused on future growth, Phillips 66 remains a very strong pick for long-term investors."[134]
Jason Hall added at the Motley Fool on September 1, 2016 that one of the big reasons Warren Buffett has been loading up on Phillips 66 is that capital allocation is one of a CEO's most important jobs and Greg Garland recognizes this and has focused Phillips' growth investments on the midstream and petrochemicals businesses -- only spending on the refining business to maintain it and improve operations, versus building more refining capacity at a lower rate of return.
Warren Buffett also says that the best long-term investments are often businesses that have strong competitive and economic advantages over their competitors, which they regularly work to strengthen. Phillips 66's refining business certainly has this characteristic. "Refineries, as long as they are well-maintained and run at a high capacity, can generate huge cash flows, which on the surface can make them very attractive businesses," writes Hall. "But at the same time, building a new refinery costs billions of dollars, and growth in demand for refined products is relatively low. In other words, it's just not worth the start-up costs to build a new refinery, based on the limited need. Combined, these two things make a relatively high barrier to entry in the refining business, helping protect Phillips 66 and its competitors from any new entrants into the market."[135]
August 17, 2016: Phillips 66 Seeks 6 Months Delay in Hearing for Santa Maria Refinery Rail Spur Project
The New Times reported on August 17, 2016 that after months of lengthy hearings on Phillips 66’s project, which would allow the company to bring in crude oil by train to its Santa Maria Refinery, Phillips 66 requested that a planned comission meeting on its proposed rail spur extension project scheduled for Sept. 22 be pushed back until March 2017. Phillips said it wanted to wait until the Federal Surface Transportation Board ruled on a petition involving an oil train-related project in Benicia. The company in charge of that project, Valero, is seeking declaratory relief from the three-person federal board after the oil company’s proposal to transport 50 trains per-day carrying crude oil through the city was denied by the Benicia Planning Commission and appealed to its City Council. At the heart of the Benicia case is the issue of pre-emption, or the extent of a local government’s authority over interstate rail transportation, which is the purview of federal government. The same issue is at play in San Luis Obispo. The hearings on the Phillips 66 project featured discussions over the county’s ability to set limits or conditions on the project. “In the interest of efficiency of the commission as well as the planning staff, we believe it would be prudent to further continue the hearing on Phillips 66’s Rail Spur Extension Project until March 2017, so that all parties can benefit from the direction expected from the Surface Transportation Board,” the letter from Phillips read.[136]
Local activists fiercely oppose the Phillips project. Opponents of Phillips 66's plan to bring oil trains to Santa Maria Refinery gathered for a "Stop the Oil Trains Rally" on July 9, 2016 at Mitchell Park in downtown San Luis Obispo. Guest speakers at the rally included Arlene Burns, mayor of Mosier, Oregon, who talked about her experiences being a part of a blast zone after a Union Pacific Railroad train, towing cars filled with crude oil, derailed and exploded near her community. Fourteen cars were involved in the June 4 Columbia River Gorge accident, causing the evacuation of schools in Mosier and the shutdown of Interstate 84 between Hood River and The Dalles.[137]
August 15, 2016: No Injuries From Fire at Phillips 66's Lake Charles Refinery
Reuters reported on August 15, 2016 that no injuries have been reported in a fire that started in a processing unit at Phillips 66's Lake Charles Refinery. The fire started when a heater tube failed as a hydrogen unit was being shut down at the plant, according to sources familiar with operations. A Phillips 66 representative did not immediately comment.[138] As a safety precaution, both Phillips 66 employees and contract workers were evacuated from the area, but allowed to return within the hour.
Calcasieu Emergency Director Dick Gremillion arrived at the scene soon after it started. "They were bringing a unit down and a fire occurred," Gremillion said. "It was quickly extinguished. It did make a lot of black smoke. A lot of people were concerned about it but there is no offsite impact. The workers were brought - this is a normal safety routine that they do - workers were brought out so they could do an accountability on them, make sure they had everyone accounted for. And they completed that and they've all gone back into the plant now." Westlake Police Chief Chris Wilrye says at no time were nearby residents in danger. "Our concern is for our citizens of the community of Westlake and to make sure there was no impact to the community and there was no evacuation that needed to be taken place outside of Phillips 66 property," he said. "From speaking with the people here at Phillips 66 there's no danger to the community."[139]
August 11, 2016: ConocoPhillips Announces More Layoffs
News on 6 reported on August 11, 2016 that ConocoPhillips has announced another round of layoffs, this time for 6 percent of its employees worldwide. The company employs 15,600 people worldwide including 1,400 employees who work in Bartlesville. ConocoPhillips has not announced how many employees will be laid off in Bartlesville, and a spokesman says the company is still sorting that out. “As far as what the impact will be to Bartlesville, since we’re still early in the process, that has yet to be determined. However, we will know more in the next several weeks as we work through our formal process,” said David Austin. Last year, ConocoPhillips laid off 10-percent of its workforce worldwide including about 170 employees laid off in Bartlesville.[140]
"In 2012 ConocoPhillips split into two companies - an upstream company focused on oil exploration, and a downstream company, called Phillips 66, that is focused on refineries, chemical plants, and midstream. The Ponca City refinery went with Phillips 66 which has not announced layoffs," says Hugh Pickens, an investor who closely follows Phillips 66. "The Ponca City Refinery, which employs about 700 Phillips 66 employees and contractors, is running at almost 100% capacity and is considered to be one of the best run and most profitable of Phillips 66's fifteen worldwide refineries."
However there are some Ponca City residents who work for ConocoPhillips and commute to Bartlesville who could be impacted by the ConocoPhillips layoffs. In April, 2015 a previous ConocoPhillips' reduction in force affected some employees commuting from Ponca City to Bartlesville for a number of years. A Ponca City woman employee, who did not want to be identified told The Ponca City News, she was terminated from ConocoPhillips and sent home with others from the Bartlesville operations by cab. The 28-year employee, who had car-pooled, was terminated April 1, 2015 and transported back to Ponca City in a cab paid for by the company. A spokesman for ConocoPhillips said, “Within Bartlesville, less than 4 percent of our employees will be impacted by these workforce reductions. Anytime you have to do these kinds of reductions, it’s always very difficult.”[141]
In 2008 ConocoPhillips downsized their operation in Ponca City as about 700 office worker positions in Ponca City were relocated to Bartlesville or Houston. "Consolidation and relocation are options we're looking at," said company spokesman Tracy Harlow. "Any and all options are still on the board right now." Most of ConocoPhillips' nonrefinery jobs in Ponca City were focused in the credit card, information technology, facilities and other support operations, Harlow said. A steering committee, including ConocoPhillips managers, was looking at options. The review started November 2008 and had not narrowed into specifics so far, Harlow said. The 750 people employed in refinery operations would not be affected by the review.[142]
August 10, 2016: Retirees to Breakfast with Ponca Refinery Manager Tim Seidel
The Ponca City News reported on August 10, 2016 that the Conoco, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 retirees will “Breakfast with Tim” at 830am on August 23, 2016 in the Atrium Cafeteria on the Phillips66 campus to hear the latest updates about Phillips 66 and the Ponca Refinery.[143]
August 8, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $20,000 to New Emergency Resource Agency in Ponca City
The Ponca City News reported on August 8, 2016 that Phillips 66's Ponca Refinery donated $20,000 for the New Emergency Resource Agency in addition to some much-needed office furniture. The New Emergency Resource Agency is a part of the network of more than 825 charitable feeding programs in 53 central and western counties that feed more 90,000 hungry Oklahomans each week. The New Emergency Resource Agency serves about 70 households each week in Ponca City and is located at 500 North First Street. The New Emergency Resource Agency is experiencing an increase in the need for food assistance and relies on its partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to fill the gap. “It’s constant, a slow steady increase and has been for the last year and a half to two years,” said Tom Short, director at New Emergency Resource Agency. “We gave away more than 300 food boxes in three hours.”[144]
August 5, 2016: Former Worker Says Phillips Funded Sacagawea Pipeline at Risk for Oil Leak
The Dickinson Press reported on August 5, 2016 that a former crew member on Sacagawea Pipeline under construction in North Dakota claims that pipe installed under Lake Sakakawea was not properly inspected and he fears the lake could be at risk. The Sacagawea Pipeline Pipeline is being constructed by Sacagawea Pipeline Company, a joint venture owned 50 percent by Phillips 66 Partners. Federal pipeline regulators are investigating the allegations, which were also brought to the North Dakota Public Service Commission’s attention this week. The owner of the pipeline contracting company stands by the work and says the claims are false accusations made by workers who were fired. Pipeline contractor Kenny Crase writes in a sworn statement filed with the PSC and federal regulators that he was ordered to skip a final coating inspection on a section of the Sacagawea Pipeline before another contractor installed the pipe under Lake Sakakawea in July. External coating protects the steel pipe from corrosion. “To me, it’s an accident waiting to happen,” Crase said in an interview with Forum News Service.
Crase says he has 34 years of construction industry experience including working for five years in North Dakota as a pipeline inspector. On this job, he was in charge of operating a device known as a holiday detector, which finds defects or bare metal spots in the pipe coating. “The coating is on it to protect it from rusting from the outside in,” Crase said. Crase said the coating crew was not allowed to complete their work. In addition, the crew was told to stay in their trucks and not allowed to do a final inspection of the coating as another contractor installed the pipe under the lake, Crase said. “I cringed when they hooked to it and pulled it because we never made a single run through there when we didn’t find holidays, which is bare metal,” Crase said. “If I was a betting man, I’d bet there’s bare metal spots.”
Mike Boyd, owner and CEO of pipeline contractor Boyd & Co., disputes the claims. Boyd said there was a section of pipe that did not meet the standards, but those workers were fired and the coating work was redone “to perfection.” The work was also approved by inspectors working for Paradigm Energy Partners, which is part of Sacagawea Pipeline Co., Boyd said. “I have 100 percent confidence in the job that was done,” Boyd said. “It’s going under the lake, we have to do it right.”[145][146]
August 3, 2016: Phillips 66 to Pay Nearly $800,000 for Pollution Violations at Rodeo Refinery
The San Francisco Chronicle reported on August 3, 2016 that Phillips 66 has agreed to pay $793,250 to settle air pollution violations at its Rodeo Refinery. The settlement covers 87 notices of violation issued to Phillips 66 for non-compliance at its refinery from 2010 through 2014. About one-third of the violations stemmed from an unplanned refinery shutdown in October of 2010, which included heavy smoke from flaring. In 2011, the company was written up three times for public nuisances after the refinery was found to be spewing odors. Finally, in June of 2012, a sour water tank ruptured at the refinery, sending numerous gases, including hydrogen sulfide, into neighboring communities, according to the air district. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District fined the Rodeo refinery $230,000 in 2014. In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named the refinery as the biggest releaser of toxic chemicals in the Bay Area.
“We are not anti-business or anti-refinery, but we want them to function properly, to put in place the equipment that needs to trap the gases that come out,” said Janet Pygeorge, president of Rodeo Citizens Association. “We breathe it. We live it every day. They need to think more about the public than the mighty old dollar.”[147]
August 3, 2016: Phillips 66 Finds Buyer for Whitegate Refinery
The Irish Independent reported on August 3, 2016 that after trying to sell their Ireland-based Whitegate Refinery for the past several years, Philips 66 has reached an agreement to sell the refinery to Irving Oil for an undisclosed sum. Irving Oil, which operates the largest oil refinery in Canada, said it views Whitegate as a key element in expanding their business in Europe. The processing facility is capable of handling 75,000 barrels of crude oil per day. “We are pleased to have signed an agreement to purchase the Whitegate refinery,” said Irving Oil chairman, Arthur Irving. “It’s a good day for our company and we’re looking forward to welcoming the Whitegate team to Irving Oil.” Irving Oil said it had been deeply impressed by Whitegate and its Irish workforce. The Canadian company said that the Irish plant had an operational track record that made it a perfect fit for their future development plans. Sale conditions are now being concluded and the deal is set to be formally closed by the year’s third quarter. Irving said it intends to continue full operation of the Whitegate plant and the maintenance of its existing workforce.[148]
July 29, 2016: Phillips 66's Profit Halved in Second Quarter as Earnings from Refining Plunge 75.3 percent
Reuters reported on July 29, 2016 that Phillips 66's profit halved in the second quarter as earnings from its refining business plunged 75.3 percent. Phillips 66's consolidated earnings fell to $496 million, or 93 cents per share, in the second quarter from $1.01 billion, or $1.84 per share, a year earlier. "My personal view is we've got a lot of inventory stacked up," Chief Executive Greg Garland said on a post-earnings call. "I think the industry's going to be facing run cuts in the second half of the year." Refining margins, the difference between the cost of crude and the price of refined products, have also been hit by a rise in global crude LCOc1 prices, which touched an eight-month high in June. Phillips 66's refining margin was $7.13 per barrel in the quarter, well below $8.22 per barrel estimated by Wells Fargo Securities analysts.[149]
Garland expressed confidence in Phillips' diverse business model. Even though Refining struggled, Phillips 66 showed that it pays to have assets in Midstream & Marketing instead of just pure refining, like other independent refiners. "The market environment remained challenging as low margins continued to impact our DCP Midstream, NGL trading and Refining businesses," said Garland. "However, our fee-based Midstream business performed well, and we continue to see good demand in Chemicals. Although demand for refined products is up relative to last year, the weighted average market crack was more than $5 per barrel from where it was a year ago and crude differentials remained tight. We remain focused on executing our strategy in those areas under our control. Our growth projects are all progressing well, and we continue to see great value and opportunity long term."[150]
July 28, 2016: ConocoPhillips Losses Increase as Oil Prices Stay Low
FuelFix reported on July 28, 2016 that ConocoPhillips reported that its second quarter losses increased six times from the same period a year ago, widening from $179 million to $1.1 billion, or 86 cents per share. The results brought ConocoPhillips’ six-month losses to $2.5 billion or $2 per share; Last year, over the same period, the company had earned $93 million, or 7 cents per share. “The price environment remains challenging, but our business is running well and we continue to beat our production, capital expenditures and operating cost targets,” chief executive Ryan Lance said in a statement adding that ConocoPhillips will be “very, very cautious through 2016. “It’s going to be well into 2017 before we see real changes in price."[151]
July 29, 2016: Debottlenecking and Yield Improvement Projects Near Completion at Wood River Refinery
Phillips announced during their earnings release on July 29, 2016 that Wood River Refinery has debottlenecking and yield improvement projects that are scheduled for completion in the third quarter. [152] Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that "at the Wood River Refinery, we're undergoing debottlenecking and are on schedule for completion in the third quarter. At the Billings Refinery, efforts are underway to increase the amount of heavy Canadian crude we can run to 100%. At Bayway, work on the FCC modernization is progressing. These are all high return, quick payout projects."[153]
July 29, 2016: Billings Refinery Is Increasing its Heavy Canadian Crude Run Ability to 100 percent
Phillips announced during their earnings release on July 29, 2016 that the Billings Refinery is increasing its heavy Canadian crude run ability to 100 percent. This project is expected to be complete in the first half of 2017.[154] Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that at the Billings Refinery, efforts are underway to increase the amount of heavy Canadian crude we can run to 100%. At Bayway, work on the FCC modernization is progressing. These are all high return, quick payout projects."[155]
July 29, 2016: Bayway Refinery is Undergoing an FCC Modernization to Increase Gasoline Yield
Phillips announced during their earnings release on July 29, 2016 that the Bayway Refinery is undergoing an FCC modernization to increase gasoline yield, expected in 2018.[156] Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that "At Bayway, work on the FCC modernization is progressing. These are all high return, quick payout projects."[157]
July 29, 2016: Phillips is Still in the Process of Selling the Whitegate Refinery
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that "we're still in the process on Whitegate, I would tell you we're pleased with the progress to this point. And hopefully, as I said, I think on last quarter, our intention is we get this closed this year."[158]
July 29, 2016: After the Whitegate Sale, Phillips Doesn't Plan to Sell Any Other Refineries in 2016
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that "as we come to the end of the Whitegate process, I don't think there is a lot more in portfolio that we have on deck, certainly for 2016 or thinking about it into 2017."[159]
In answer to a question from Neil Mehta, Kevin Mitchell told analysts during Phillips 66's 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that although Phillips has talked about divestiture of its California refineries in the past at this point Phillips will just hold on to them at this point in time. "California we talked about a lot the hold cost or the option value is really not much there is not a lot of capital in front of us in California last few year margins have been very good in California so it's a net cash contributor," said Mitchell. "And you think about could you sell asset probably but could we did good value for it, probably not and so I think we just hold it at this point in time they're good assets, they're probably mid back in terms of where they set their cost structure, but given the option value to keep, I think it'll just hang on."[160]
July 29, 2016: Freeport LPG Export Terminal is Nearing Completion
Phillips announced during their earnings release on July 29, 2016 that in Midstream, the Freeport LPG Export Terminal is nearing completion. The project is on budget with startup expected by year-end.[161]
July 29, 2016: Phillips 66 Continues to Invest in its Beaumont Terminal
Phillips announced during their earnings release on July 29, 2016 that Phillips 66 continues to invest in its Beaumont Terminal, the largest terminal in the company's portfolio. The terminal has 3.2 million barrels of new storage capacity under construction; 2 million barrels of additional crude storage are expected to be in service by year-end and 1.2 million barrels of additional product storage are expected to be in operation by mid-2017.[162]
July 29, 2016: The Sweeny Hub is Nearing Completion
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that "in the Gulf, development of the first phase of the Sweeny hub is nearing completion. Sweeny Fractionator One is operating well, however, volume mix across all of our fractionators remains impacted by heavier NGL feedstock as a result of continued ethane rejection."[163]
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that Phillips still thinks that that the Sweeny Hub is a great project and sees value creation opportunity there.
"If you think about NGL pipes coming out of the Permian and West Texas and the Eagle Ford and going by Sweeny. You think about world-class refining, world-class petrochemicals. We have the largest single site ethylene facility at Sweeny, we're building 1.2 million tons of polyethylene capacity, building the fractionator, we're building the caverns, we're building the interconnecting pipes to Bellevue and on to Freeport and then the 150,000 barrel a day LPG Export facility. So, we still like that concept and what we are creating there. I think short-term what you're seeing in the market, there's going to be stress in the LPG side of it. The frac is running well, it's running to design limits. We're seeing certainly heavier feed than what we premised. And so, we're running about 80 a day at the frac today versus 100%, but it's completely loaded in the backend of the frac. The other thing I would say is, as this project is coming up, we have a lot of project expenses that are hitting us beyond just the frac. So, think about the pipes and the caverns and the commissioning and the start-up of the LPG Export facility. So you should expect to see those costs continue through the end of 2016. But when you talk about the frac itself, we dropped it, all of it, it's at PSXP today. The EBITDA is about $100 million, so $25 million a quarter. There's a little bit of leakage that goes to the non-controlling interest, so then you take that and bring it to the net income level. And that was more than offset by the project expenses we had and the seasonal trading activities that we had in our NGL business. We're not worried about this whole NGL complex that we're building at Sweeny in terms of it coming up. And we're looking forward to getting the LPG Export up later this year, we'll start commissioning activities actually in the next couple weeks as we start thinking about that. So, I just want to say that we still really like this project a lot. And Tim, if you want to fill in anything I missed, you're welcome to do that."[164]
July 29, 2016: The Cracker Project at Sweeny and Baytown Looks to Be Complete in the Second Half of 2017
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 that "there's two pieces of the cracker project. One is the derivatives project, the polyethylene plants at Sweeny and the second is the cracker at Baytown, which is just east of Houston. So, the derivatives plant, those projects are still online, they come online actually before the second half of 2017 to be complete, the cracker is now looking like it's going to complete in the second half of 2017. And that's really the change that we're seeing, primarily related to productivity and the complexity of that project we're seeing several month's delay. So, continue to progress on both of those very well, but the cracker is behind where we're seeing the derivatives project at this point."[165]
July 29, 2016: The LPG Terminal at the Freeport Export Facility is 97% Complete
Timothy Taylor told analysts during the 2016 second quarter earnings conference call on July 29, 2016 thatthe LPG Terminal at the Freeport Export Facility is about 97% complete. "There's different pieces, so we're actually right at the front end of our commissioning and drying out process, getting it ready. So, we anticipate that will be operational toward the end of the year, but we are actually essentially completing construction and now working into the commissioning piece of that business, so that's about to become operational. On the market side, and you asked about the contracts. We continue to work the contracts, as Greg said, the commodity environment is challenged today. So, I think that the commercial arm or opportunity is narrower than what we had originally planned in the short term, but we still fundamentally see that strength. And as I said, it's got to clear the market here somewhere to really make everything balanced just based on the demand side. So, we feel pretty good about the longer-term fundamentals there with some stress short-term I think on the commercial side of that. But the load across that looks really solid to us. And we continue to work that.[166]
July 28, 2016: Chevron Phillips Dedicates New Polyethylene Pilot Plant In Bartlesville
NewsOK reported on July 28, 2016 that Chevron Phillips Chemical, a 50-50 joint venture between Chevron and Phillips 66, officially dedicated a new Marlex polyethylene pilot plant at Bartlesville’s research and technology facility beginning the next phase for the company’s catalyst and polymer development operations. President/CEO Peter Cella said the pilot plant will allow for the research, testing and development of polyethylene processes, prior to implementation in full-scale operations. The new Bartlesville facility replaces a decades-old pilot plant that has been on the forefront of polyethylene research and development. Chevron Phillips Chemical employs just over 200 people at the facility in west Bartlesville.
Two Phillips 66 chemists, J. Paul Hogan and Robert L. Banks, discovered polypropylene in 1951 and their discovery led the way for commercially-viable plastic products such as milk jugs, containers and pipeline. “How perfect it is that our new pilot plant is right here in Bartlesville, Okla.,” Cella said. “This is the site were modern plastics got its start; this is the birthplace of modern plastics.” Skye Richey says the new plant is designed to be smarter, more user-friendly, environmentally responsible and safer for for the workers who will run it. Chevron Phillips Chemical officials did not release the cost to build the new pilot plant in Bartlesville, only to say the investment was significant.[167]
The new pilot plant took a little more than a year to build and is composed of 20 different modules that cover approximately 11,700 square feet. Cella said that the company is not releasing the new pilot plant’s price tag but described the investment as “significant.” Cella said that some jobs were created to construct the new plant but no additional hires were made at the research and technology facility. Cella said that the investment in the new pilot plant preserves those jobs. The new construction in Bartlesville replaces the decades-old pilot plant that had been the focal point of polyethylene research for decades. The old plant, located across the street from the new one, is now closed. Research projects are expected to start in the new plant by the end of the year.[168]
July 22, 2016: Phillips' Santa Maria Rail Spur Project May Be in Jeopardy
The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported on July 22, 2016 that Phillips 66 has been given an August 15 deadline to give the San Luis Obispo County department of planning and building additional information about the Santa Maria Rail Spur Project and to pay more than $240,000 in fees or the project application will be withdrawn. County policy requires that development applicants pay all the county’s costs in processing their permit, including the cost to hire consultants and write an environmental impact report. The county has estimated the cost of processing the application through the Board of Supervisors appeal hearing to be $240,697.73. In a July 8 letter to the company, county supervising planner Ryan Hostetter wrote, “This letter serves to inform Phillips 66 that without the necessary information and funding, the county cannot complete processing the application as directed by the Planning Commission.” As of July 22, the county had received only part of the information it has requested and none of the money, Hostetter said. Phillips 66 did not respond directly to questions by The Tribune on Friday as to whether the company plans to meet the county’s Aug. 15 deadline to pay the fees and provide the missing information. Instead, it sent this statement: “Phillips 66 presented a strong proposal, and we remain confident about the project,” the statement said. “We understand and respect the review and approval process with the county, and look forward to the next step in the EIR process.”
Phillips 66 also faces questions regarding their recent decision to truck oil directly into the refinery which according to the county is likely a violation of the county’s permit and will require a new permit as well as a trucking plan detailing the new oil-by-truck method. “Bringing in crude by truck is a modification of the refinery and, additionally, may have the potential to cause significant impacts,” Hostetter said in a June 30 letter to Phillips 66. The refinery’s maintenance supervisor, James Anderson, responded to the county in a letter dated July 14 in which he denied the assertions that the trucking of oil is a modification of the refinery and disputes the notion that a trucking plan is required. The letter refers to the refinery’s official name, the Santa Maria Refinery. “Phillips 66 does not need any new permits or modifications to its existing permits to deliver feedstocks by rail to SMR (Santa Maria Refinery) in the manner in which it is currently performed,” Anderson’s letter stated. “Such activity has been a long-standing practice, albeit intermittent, and is not part of the rail extension project.”[169]
July 21, 2016: ConocoPhillips to Lay Off Another 1,000 Employees
FuelFix reported on July 21, 2016 that ConocoPhillips plans for lay off another 1,000 employees, about 6 percent of its global workforce, in its latest effort to cut costs as crude prices languish around $45 a barrel. The oil explorer has finished assembling some major upstream projects, and now has “more organizational capacity than we need,” ConocoPhillips spokesman Daren Beaudo said in an emailed statement. Its operations in North America will get hit hardest. “We have taken several steps as a company to adapt to lower and more volatile prices and strengthen our position coming out of the downturn,” Beaudo said.[170]
July 14, 2016: A Catastrophic Oil Train Derailment in Oregon Raises Californian's Fears of Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Spur Project
Robin Abcarian reported a major story in the Los Angeles Times on July 14, 2016 titled "A catastrophic oil train derailment in Oregon raises fears on Central Coast" about Alene Burns, mayor of Mosier, Oregon, who spoke to activists in San Luis Obispo about what happened when a mile-long train loaded with crude oil derailed in Mosier in June 16, 2016.
Sixteen of 96 cars toppled from the tracks. Four exploded. The area, a windsurfing mecca known for its constant high winds, was spared more explosions only because the air was unusually still that day. “If it had been a normal, windy day,” Burns said, “the explosions would have had a domino effect.” Still, a monstrous plume of black smoke could be seen for miles. About 200 yards away, 225 schoolchildren were evacuated and began their summer vacation a week early. Their school was quickly converted to an incident command center. Twenty-three miles of I-84, which runs along the southern edge of the Columbia River, was closed, blocking access to Mosier. “Guess who couldn’t help us?” Burns said. “The first responders. They were stuck in gridlock traffic.” The Mosier fire burned for 15 hours. No one was hurt, but the town’s sewage treatment plant was inundated with 10,000 of the 42,000 gallons of spilled Bakken crude oil — a volatile, highly flammable mix. For days, toilets didn’t flush and showers didn’t work.
According to Abcarian, supervisors in counties up and down the state have officially opposed Phillips 66's Rail Spur Project to the Santa Maria Refinery. So have at least 22 city councils, from Berkeley to Los Angeles. The crude oil boom in places like North Dakota has lead to a significant increase in the number of such trains, along with a significant increase in derailments. Most people don’t want potentially explosive cargo barreling through their community. "As long as we depend so heavily on oil, we will have these battles. It makes economic sense for oil companies like Phillips to fight on," writes Abcarian. "But I take what Mayor Burns said to heart. Oil trains will derail. They are disasters waiting to happen. San Luis Obispo County supervisors are in a unique position to help protect every Californian who lives within a mile of Union Pacific’s tracks, often called “the blast zone.”"[171]
July 14, 2016: Greg Garland Says Recruiting and Retaining Millennials Was a Significant Motivator for Phillips 66's New Campus in Houston
Houston Business Journals reported on July 14, 2016 that one example of an energy company that has spruced up its workspace is Houston-based Phillips 66 which just unveiled its new global headquarters. The company's CEO, Greg Garland, said that recruiting and retaining Millennials was a significant motivator for the new campus. The headquarters has a yoga studio, massage parlor, putting green, spinning studio, basketball court, and a soccer field with a track. It also has a physician through Memorial Hermann Health System, as well as two credit unions with campus outposts – Houston-based Member's Choice Credit Union and Oklahoma-based Truity Credit Union. Employees can de-stress in a massage parlor, or get their suits and skirts pressed in an on-site Men's Wearhouse dry cleaner. In addition, the new headquarters contains a learning center that can seat 750 employees, a cafeteria with eight different food stations, coffee shop, convenience store, credit unions, and conference center — more or less forming a self-contained city. One of the most interesting desires for the headquarters was a soccer field big enough for a five-person team. “They were limited in space, so they put it on top of the parking garage," said Dennis Laflen, senior vice president of HOK and the Phillips 66 project manager.
One main impetus for the design is Phillips desire to attract and retain talent - especially Millennials. "Thirty-six percent of our workforce are Millennials," Garland said. "(That number) is going to grow, and these are the kinds of facilities that attract Millennials and the kind of place they want to work at. … (It’s) part of just being competitive in this market."
Phillips also has an in-house dentist at its present headquarters who will be moving to Philips 66's new building in the Westchase District. “It opened in mid-February and they have already seen 211 patient at the Phillips 66 Dental Office,” said Charles Lusk, CEO of Onsite Solutions in 2014. “It’s the wave of the future. Some groups offer mobile clinics that set up in the parking lot, but who would want to use that?" Having a dental office on site for employees and their families to use is convenient for staff and lucrative for employers. “The reality of the matter is an employee can spend four hours of his or her day for one dental appointment, when you factor in drive-time. It’s not conducive to a good work day,” said Lusk. “By having an office on site, you’re increasing productivity as well as the likelihood that someone will even go to the dentist, which makes for a healthier person.” “Some corporations are just more innovative than others. They are doing it because they know their competitors are going to do it,” Lusk said. “Phillips 66 is very forward-thinking and wanted to get up in front of the trend.”
The new Phillips 66 campus was designed by St. Louis-based HOK. Because HOK had worked with ConocoPhillips in 2009, before the spinoff, on a project in Colorado, Phillips 66 executives were familiar with its work and hired HOK for the headquarters. Design work began in 2012. “It’s been a long history with the original ConocoPhillips, and we’ve continued to work with both companies,” said Dennis Laflen, senior vice president of HOK and the Phillips 66 project manager. “From very beginning, the CEO gave clear directions. Create a campus large enough to bring people together for the first time in history.” About 80 to 85 employees from six different HOK offices collaborated on the project that finished this year, and Phillips 66 workers started to move in at 2331 City West Blvd. this month. Laflen could not disclose project costs, but a 2014 report from the Economic Development and Tourism Division of the Governor’s Office of Texas stated it was worth $71 million total.[172][173][174][175]
July 9, 2016: Activists Rally Against Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Spur Proposal
The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported on July 9, 2016 that more than 150 activists gathered for a rally at Mitchell Park in downtown San Luis Obispo to protest a proposed Phillips 66 rail spur that would add five tracks and allow crude oil to be hauled to their Santa Maria Refinery. The rally commemorated the three-year anniversary of a derailment near Lac-Mégantic, Quebec where a stopped train hauling 72 crude oil tank cars rolled downhill and derailed near the center of town. Forty-seven people were killed in ensuing explosions and fires.
Mayor Arlene Burns of Mosier, Oregon, spoke at the rally about a fiery oil train derailment near her town in June and urged San Luis Obispo County residents to stop the spur project. Attendees then marched to the nearby Amtrak station, many waving yellow “Stop Oil Trains Now” signs. The June 3 incident in the Columbia River Gorge near Mosier was caused by broken track bolts that derailed a train hauling more than 90 tank cars of crude oil. Some of the cars leaked oil and caught on fire, prompting Mosier, a tiny town of about 430, to evacuate its schools and many residents. “Trains derail,” said Burns. “It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”[176]
July 9, 2016: DCP Midstream Shuts Tulsa Office Affecting 100 Employees
The Tulsa world reported on July 9, 2016 that DCP Midstream LLC, a 50-50 joint venture between Phillips 66 and Spectra, has closed its Tulsa office affecting about 100 employees. Jerry Barnhill, a senior vice president for the midstream company, said the closure was the result of a decision to consolidate the functions being performed in Tulsa — primarily finance and accounting operations — with DCP’s Denver headquarters.[177]
DCP Midstream previously eliminated 300 positions nationwide in April, 2016 leaving about 2,900 employees overall. DCP Chairman and CEO Wouter van Kempen said the joint venture reduced its 2016 capital budget down to $250 million. In comparison, Phillips 66’s contribution alone to DCP’s capital budget last year was $550 million. “This is a challenging environment that we are managing through and we continue to execute on our strategy to reset our break-even cost to ensure we are the most reliable, safe, low-cost midstream services provider sustainable in any environment."[178]
July 8, 2016: Opponents of Phillips 66 Santa Maria Rail Spur to Stage Protest Rally in San Luis Obispo
The Santa Maria Times reported on July 8, 2016 that opponents of Phillips 66's plan to bring oil trains to Santa Maria Refinery will gather for a "Stop the Oil Trains Rally" on July 9, 2016 at Mitchell Park in downtown San Luis Obispo. Guest speakers at the rally will include Arlene Burns, mayor of Mosier, Oregon, who will talk about her experiences being a part of a blast zone after a Union Pacific Railroad train, towing cars filled with crude oil, derailed and exploded near her community early last month, according to organizers. Fourteen cars were involved in the June 4 Columbia River Gorge accident, causing the evacuation of schools in Mosier and the shutdown of Interstate 84 between Hood River and The Dalles. Organizers plan to lead a peaceful march at 1:15 p.m. from the park to the nearby Amtrak station, where additional speakers will address the crowd.[179]
July 7, 2016: H.J. Reed Speaks to Ponca City ConocoPhillips Retiree Association
The Ponca City News reported on July 7, 2016 that H.J. Reed, Manager of State Government Affairs for Phillips 66, would be the keynote speaker at the summer general meeting of the ConocoPhillips Retiree Association on July 11, 2016 at the Pioneer Technology Center. Reed will talk about key issues in the November elections and share the latest analysis regarding likely key issues and outcomes. He will speak about the 2016 Oklahoma legislative session and what the 2017 session will likely bring. Reed previously spoke to the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce's Ponca Politics on July 24, 2015.[180]
The Ponca City News reported on July 13, 2016 that H.J. Reed, spoke to the ConocoPhillips Retirees on July 11, 2016, about several scenarios for the outcome of the presidential elections, state question 779, commonly referred to as the David Boren education question, which calls for a one cent state sales tax to give teachers a raise, and what would happen at the state level if Gov. Mary Fallin should be Trump’s vice presidential pick. Reed predicted that the Republican convention will not be contested. On the local level Reed mentioned Rep. Steve Vaughan, Rep. John Pfieffer and Sen. Eddie Fields.
Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce representatives Chairman Molly Kyler, and Sue Lunsford, Chamber volunteer, also spoke to the ConocoPhillips Retirees Association in an effort to recruit memberships to the Chamber. Dianne Anderson told about the United Way program and the recent United Way golf tournament sponsored by Phillips, which brings in the companies that have contracts with the company and this makes about $50,000 a year for United Way.[181]
July 7, 2016: Margins Tank for US Refiners This Summer, Especially on the East Coast
Reuters reported on July 7, 2016 that over the last 30 days, estimates for second-quarter earnings have fallen 17 to 20 percent for four of the major U.S. refiners including Phillips 66 as gasoline and diesel inventories stubbornly sit well above five-year averages driving down refiner margins. The U.S. gasoline crack spread 1RBc1-CLc1, a proxy for refiner margins, has dropped 34 percent in two weeks. On July 6, 2016, it hit a five-year low for this time of year of $13.10 a barrel. That is less than half the crack spread of $28 a barrel at this time last year. "An RBOB crack trading 13 bucks in the middle of driving season is unheard of," said one trader.
The situation is especially dire for U.S. East Coast refineries (PADD 1) where refiners have been cutting production. The glut is so extreme that several tankers full of products were forced to sit idle in New York Harbor recently, waiting to unload. Phillips 66 has one East Coast refinery at Bayway, New Jersey. “PADD 1 is a holy mess,” said Andrew Lebow, senior partner at Commodity Research Group in Darien, Connecticut. “It is very unusual. If a market becomes extremely oversupplied, like PADD 1, they are going to have to cut runs.”
According to Reuters, inventories have grown despite evidence that U.S. motor travel continues to surge. Analysts noted that U.S. refiners switched to maximum gasoline mode earlier than usual during a fleeting moment of high margins in the early part of 2016. Imports also have been higher than normal in recent weeks, adding to the glut. John Auers, executive vice president at Turner, Mason & Co, a Dallas-based consultancy, said he remains bullish on gasoline demand and refining margins this summer, noting that gasoline and diesel inventories can draw down just as fast they fill up. “I think we will see some significant drawdowns in July and August, and that will help margins,” Auers said. “I think $50 a barrel for crude oil will be the high water mark, so gas prices will remain low and we will have a record driving season this summer."[182]
- See also Profit Margins Shrink for US Refiners like Phillips 66 because of Oversupply of Gasoline June 10, 2016
- See also U.S. Refiners' Years-Long Windfall from Cheap Crude Has Come to an End April 28, 2016
- See also Phillips Took 20% of Their Nationwide Refining Capacity Offline at One Point in February March 3, 2016
June 29, 2016: Boilermaker Sues Phillips 66 for Negligence at Wood River Refinery
The Madison Record reported on June 29, 2016 that James Mason filed a lawsuit June 22 in Madison County Circuit Court against Phillips 66 Company, ConocoPhillips WRB Partner LLC, Phillips 66 WRB Partners Holdings, Cenovus Energy US LLC and WRB Refining LLC, doing business as Conoco Phillips Wood River Refinery, alleging negligence in failing to provide a safe place to work. According to the complaint, on June 23, 2014, while in the course of working as a boilermaker at Conoco Phillips Wood River Refinery, Mason touched a wooden pole on which certain electrical equipment existed, causing him to be electrocuted and suffer serious injuries. The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to keep the area in safe and proper condition to prevent electric shock, failed to repair electric equipment near the wooden pole and failed to ground the wooden pole to prevent shock.[183]
June 25, 2016: Lake Charles Refinery Celebrates 75 Years of Operation
American Press reported on June 25, 2016 that Phillips 66's Lake Charles Refinery recently celebrated its 75th anniversary in a ceremony that lauded employees, contractors and community stakeholders. The refinery officially began operating in 1941 as the Continental Oil Co to supply jet fuel during World War II. The $4.5 million project was run by 100 employees and had a crude oil capacity of 7,500 barrels per day. Between 1960 and 2002, the company changed its name to Conoco, was acquired by DuPont, became its own company again, and merged to form ConocoPhillips. In 2012, the company split and Phillips 66 began operating as its own refining and marketing business. Today, the refinery has a crude oil output of 249,000 barrels per day and 770 employees. “The names may have changed over the years, but our plans to operate safely with honor and commitment remain,” said Refinery Manager Rich Harbinson.
“ConocoPhillips has been a good neighbor to the city of Westlake, no doubt. They’re always giving,” said Westlake Mayor Bob Hardy worked at the refinery for years before going into local politics. Sowela Technical Community College Chancellor Neil Aspinwall said the company has invested heavily in Sowela by providing internships for students, equipment for Sowela structural programs, and over $2 million toward the construction of a 12,000-square-foot process technology building. “Phillips 66 is a great example of what we can accomplish when industry takes a role in the educational process and the preparation of the workforce,” Aspinwall said.[184]
According to Ponca City resident Hugh Pickens, in the 1960s the Lake Charles Refinery was known as the sister refinery to Conoco's Ponca City Refinery. "It was very common for employees in Ponca City to be transferred to Lake Charles and vice versa." Pickens noted that the Ponca Refinery will be celebrating an anniversary of its own in just two years. "In 2018 the Ponca Refinery, originally called the Marland Refinery, will be celebrating one hundred years of operation."
June 22, 2016: California Refineries Brace for Potential Disruptions Ahead of Possible Blackouts This Summer
Reuters reported on June 22, 2016 that refiners in southern California are bracing for potential disruptions ahead of possible blackouts this summer after the closure of a key natural gas field prompted state regulators to warn of power and gas shortages. Phillips 66 has two refineries that could potentially be affected: the Santa Maria Refinery and the Rodeo Refinery. The Santa Maria facility is located in Arroyo Grande, Calif., while the Rodeo facility is in the San Francisco Bay Area. The combined Phillips refineries have a total crude oil processing capacity of 120,000 bpd. According to Reuters concerns about disruptions to refining operations have intensified as a heat wave swept the region, testing power grids that rely heavily on natural gas for fuel. Power generators face strained gas supplies after operations stopped at SoCalGas' Aliso Canyon facility, the second largest natural gas field in the Western United States. The six major refineries operating in the region require immense amounts of natural gas and electricity delivered on a consistent basis to run smoothly.
Any stoppages at the refineries would likely cause gasoline prices to rise in California, which is largest and most expensive gasoline market in the continental United States. In the event of even a brief power outage, a refinery would need between five to seven days to return to full production, assuming there is no damage, according to industry players. "Our facilities are designed to run at a steady-state - not ramp up and down sporadically. The notion of 'turning down' a facility does not take into account the physical nature of the refining process," the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) said in a statement.[185]
June 20, 2016: Phillips 66 Gives $100,000 to University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas reported on June 20, 2016 that Phillips 66 has presented the university with a $100,000 check in support of various initiatives in the Walton College and the College of Engineering, including the Technology Awareness Program, Supply Chain Management Research Center, the Engineering Career Awareness Program and the SAP Support Program. During their visit to campus, the Phillips 66 team met with faculty and staff from the College of Engineering to discuss the possibility of increasing the number of engineers hired from the university. “We recognize that the partnerships we have at schools like the University of Arkansas are critical to Phillips 66,” said Pam McGinnis, chief procurement officer for Phillips 66 and an alumna of the College of Engineering. “Our university partners are helping us build the depth and breadth of capabilities our company needs to provide energy and improve lives now, and in the future. And they’re instilling a passion for excellence in our future workforce.”[186]
June 19, 2016: Lewis & Clark Community College has a Two-Year Associate’s Degree Program in “Process Operations” to Train People for the Phillips 66 Refinery in Wood River
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on June 19, 2016 that Lewis & Clark Community College has a two-year associate’s degree program in “process operations” to train people for the Phillips 66 refinery in Wood River. “We have a miniature refinery on our Edwardsville campus,” says Kent Scheffel, vice president of enrollment services at Lewis & Clark. Newly hired refinery workers can earn $75,000 a year and many students land refinery jobs before they graduate and finish the program part-time. “They are in demand right now,” Scheffel said. Tuition for all two years runs about $8,200 for Metro East residents, plus books.[187]
Lewis & Clark Community College’s process operations technology program was developed in collaboration with ConocoPhillips in Wood River, Ill., and in consultation with the Center for the Advancement of Process Technology in the Gulf Coast region and the Sigma Aldrich partnership, which resulted in a professional and focused plan of study. Completion of the program provides a high probability of placement as a process operations technician within the process industry. Process technicians learn how to operate furnaces, distillation columns, reboilers, heat exchangers, steam systems, and cooling-water systems — the essential elements of all process industries. With degree credentials and supervised on-site internship experience in hand, students qualify for a career in the nationally critical field of petroleum refining, oil and gas production, petrochemicals production, biochemicals production, base chemicals production and power generation. Employment opportunities as a process operations technician will be expansive — within the region and across the nation.[188]
Lewis and Clark’s Process Operations Technology program is one of only 18 nationally accredited “endorsed colleges” through the North American Process Technology Alliance (NAPTA). “We went from a regional accreditation to a national one, and have hit the highest tier of accreditation as an endorsed college, which is powerful recognition of the work we’ve done developing the program, as well as what our students have accomplished,” said Mike Morgan, coordinator and instructor in Process Operations Technology at Lewis and Clark Community College. “We are also the first college, of only 18 endorsed schools across the country, located in the Midwest.” Also known as “specialized” or “professional accreditations,” these credentials ensure that specific vocational programs are meeting national quality standards. The 18 endorsed schools, now including Lewis and Clark, each have an active advisory committee, have completed a comprehensive program audit and have been approved for endorsement by the NAPTA, an active partner with CAPT. “As our first member from another alliance, (Lewis and Clark is) setting an example for other schools to follow, and further strengthening our efforts to build consistency and sustainability for PTEC across North America,” said NAPTA President W. Eric Newby.
Process Operations Technology graduates go on to earn approximately $20 to $35 per hour. Lewis and Clark graduates have gone on to work for companies like Abengoa AG, Afton Chemical, Ameren UE, Calumet Petroleum, Center Ethanol, Covidien, Elementis, Eastman Chemicals, Explorer Pipeline, GS Robbins, Jost Chemical, Kinder-Morgan, Marathon Pipeline, Marathon Refining, Metropolitan Sewer District, Prairie State Energy, Phillips 66 Refining, Proctor & Gamble, Shell Off-shore, Sigma-Aldrich, Solvay Flourides and SunCoke. “It’s definitely an exciting time for Process Operations Technology, which continues to grow,” Morgan said. “As the need for industry grows, and with companies looking to replace anywhere from 30-50 percent of their workforce over the next five years, there are numerous opportunities available for employment in refineries, chemical plants, water treatment facilities and more.”[189]
June 14, 2016: American Gods TV Series Is Filming in Ponca City
The Ponca City News reported on June 14, 2016 that the a crew from the Starz! Network is in Ponca City filming a few scenes from “American Gods,” a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman. The crew has been filming on Grand Avenue and on South 1st Street.[190] Members of Ponca Playhouse who gathered at the Black Box Theatre saw the film crew on the corner of South 1st and Oklahoma Street as they exited from the annual Riga-Tony Awards the evening of June 14, 2016.
American Gods is an upcoming television series created by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green for Starz, based on the novel of the same name by author Neil Gaiman. Fuller and Green will script the first episode and serve as showrunners. Gaiman will executive produce along with Fuller, Green, Craig Cegielski, Stefanie Berk and Thom Beers. The series will focus on the mysterious Shadow, a man who is released from prison a few days early after serving a three-year sentence for bank robbery when his beloved wife Laura is killed in a car accident. Flying home for the funeral, Shadow is seated next to a man who introduces himself only as Mr. Wednesday, and this man knows more about Shadow's life, both past and present, than is possible. Shadow comes to learn that Wednesday is, in fact, the god Odin of Norse mythology and that all of the gods that mankind has ever believed in are alive in human form and live among regular people. Shadow is soon thrust into a gathering conflict between the Old gods and the so-called "New gods", the gods of money and technology who believe there is no longer room on Earth for the old gods.
On January 28, 2016, Ricky Whittle was cast as the lead character, Shadow Moon. On March 2, 2016, it was announced that Ian McShane had been cast as Mr. Wednesday.It was later announced on March 17, 2016 that Emily Browning will play Laura Moon, Shadow's wife. On March 23, 2016 it was announced that Sean Harris, Yetide Badaki and Bruce Langley would play the respective roles of Mad Sweeney, Bilquis and Technical Boy. On April 14, 2016, Jonathan Tucker and Crispin Glover were cast as Low Key Lyesmith and Mr. World. On April 21, 2016, Cloris Leachman was cast as Zorya Vechernyaya, Peter Stormare as Czernobog, Chris Obi as Mr. Jaquel, and Mousa Kraish as the Jinn. Showrunner Bryan Fuller estimated in May 2015 that the show would likely air in "late 2016";however, it is now set to premiere in early 2017. The shooting was scheduled to begin on March 1, 2016 in Toronto and continue until September.[191]
June 11, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $25,000 to Sweeny Petrochemical Academy
The Brazoport Facts reported on June 11, 2016 that Phillips 66 is making a $25,000 grant to the Sweeny Petrochemcial Academy locared in Sweeny, Texas, home of Phillips Sweeny Refinery and Petrochemical complex. “The petrochemical academy will ensure a trained workforce to staff the industrial expansion in Sweeny and Freeport as well as replacing employees electing to retire,” said Phillips 66 Spokeswoman Regina Slaydon. Phillips 66 has supported the Sweeny ISD petrochemical academy since its inception in 2014, Slaydon said, and contributing money to allow as many students as possible to attend furthers that partnership.[192]
June 10, 2016: Profit Margins Shrink for US Refiners like Phillips 66 because of Oversupply of Gasoline
Retuers reported on June 10, 2016 that an unusual glut of gasoline - just as refiners are ramping up to produce more - has caught them on the wrong side of distillate margins for the second time in less than 12 months. Instead of producing bigger profits for refining gasoline, refiners like Phillips 66 are seeing margins shrink because of oversupply, potentially leading to disappointing earnings. "Refiners killed the gasoline golden goose this year by overproducing. They were actually making summer gasoline during winter. That says it all," said Nevyn Nah, oil products analyst at Energy Aspects. Earnings per share at top U.S. refiners, including Phillips 66, Valero and Marathon Petroleum, are expected to fall well short of analysts' expectations in the second quarter, according to StarMine, a unit of Thomson Reuters.
The surprise strength in diesel has also caught refiners off-guard. Prices of distillates, which include heating oil and diesel, have seen an unusual surge in recent weeks due to robust overseas demand combined with lower domestic production. Typically, gasoline trades at a premium to diesel during the hot months of June, July and August. However gasoline's premium to diesel and heating oil fell is now only one cent, down from a peak of 29 cents in early April. "Gasoline is on the verge of trading under diesel... in JULY!!! That's insane," a trader at a U.S. bank said in an instant message.[193]
June 10, 2016: Phillips 66 to Help Fund $746 Million Superfund Cleanup of Portland Harbor
Environmental Leader reported on June 10, 2016 that the EPA will ask more than 150 companies and other groups to foot the $746 million bill to clean up the Portland Harbor Superfund Site. Of the 150 potentially responsible parties identified by the EPA, 10 have already agreed to help with the cleanup process including Phillips 66. The 10 companies, which call themselves the Lower Willamette Group, include Arkema, Bayer CropScience, BNSF Railway Company, Chevron, Phillips 66, Union Pacific Railway and the city of Portland. The Lower Willamette Group (LWG) is composed of the ten parties who signed agreements with EPA to conduct the remedial investigation and feasibility study of the Site and four other parties who have contributed financially to the project. Lower Willamette Group spokesperson Barbara Smith told Oregon Public Broadcasting that the group is happy to see a cleanup plan for the river.
The pollution at the superfund site stems from a variety of industries, including shipbuilding, wood treatment and lumber milling, storage of bulk fuels and manufactured gas production, chemical manufacturing and storage, municipal sewer overflows and industrial storm water. The EPA says that hazardous substances found at the site include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins/furans, pesticides and heavy metals, which can harm people and the environment. At the end of this first seven years, the EPA says health risks from the site’s pollution will drop as much as 100 times below the current levels.[194]
June 6, 2016: Phillips 66 to Move Into New Houston Headquarters in July
Houston Business Journal reported on June 6, 2016 that after almost four years of construction, Phillips 66 will move all 2,200 of its Houston-area employees into its new global headquarters in Westchase in July. The company will move employees from four locations: The Pinnacle Building at 3010 Briarpark Drive, The Reserve Building at 3250 Briarpark Drive, One Briarlake Plaza at 2000 W. Sam Houston Parkway South and 600 North Dairy Ashford. The 14-acre campus is anchored by 13- and 15-story office towers connected via a 3,000-square-foot walking bridge and an eight-floor parking garage. [195]
The headquarters has a yoga studio, spinning studio, basketball court, and a soccer field with a track. It also has an on-site dentist and physician through Memorial Hermann Health System, as well as two credit unions with campus outposts – Houston-based Member's Choice Credit Union and Oklahoma-based Truity Credit Union. Employees can de-stress in a massage parlor, or get their suits and skirts pressed in an on-site Men's Wearhouse dry cleaner. "Thirty-six percent of our workforce are Millennials, and (that number) is going to grow, and these are the kinds of facilities that attract Millennials," Garland said when asked about the campus' amenities. "(It's) part of just being competitive in this market."[196]
June 6, 2016: Greg Garland Sells Almost $5 Million of Phillips Stock
The Bibey Post reported on June 6, 2016 that the Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66 and company’s insider Greg Garland sold 62,500 shares of Phillips stock at $80.0 of a share. The transaction’s shares had a value of around $4,996,881 U.S. Dollars. Garland now owns 122,930 shares of Phillips stock.[197]
June 3, 2016: Western States Petroleum Association Sues State of California Over Emission Standards at Rodeo Refinery
Courthouse News Service reported on June 3, 2016 that the Western States Petroleum Association, or WSPA, sued the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in Contra Costa Superior Court, claiming the agency acted arbitrarily when it installed new rules aimed at curtailing emissions at five Bay Area refineries by 20 percent. The refineries include Chevron in Richmond, Tesoro outside of Convord, Phillips 66 in Rodeo, Valero in Benicia and Shell in Martinez. WSPA — along with Valero Refining, Tesoro Refining & Marketing and Phillips 66 — say the district did not perform the necessary environmental review, known as a CEQA analysis, when it implemented the new rules. It further asserts the mandate unfairly targets the oil and gas industry as the emissions reduction was not implemented in any other industry. The plaintiffs want the court to order the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to set aside the rules aimed at curtailing emissions at the five locations, as well as an injunction that prohibits the agencies from implementing certain provisions in the future. WSPA says the five refineries that comprise the Contra Costa-Solano refinery belt — the largest in California — account for less than three percent of air pollutants in the area.[198]
June 1, 2016: Proposed Carbon Cap Plan Would Affect Phillips 66's Ferndale Refinery
The Bellingham Herald reported on June 1, 2016 that Washington state regulators have unveiled an updated plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions from large polluters, the latest attempt by Gov. Jay Inslee to push ahead with a binding cap on carbon emissions after struggling to win approval from legislators. The rule would initially apply to facilities that release at least 100,000 metric tons of carbon a year including Phillips 66's Ferndale Refinery. Under the proposed rule, expected to be finalized in late summer, large emitters would be required to reduce carbon emissions by about 5 percent every three years, and show they achieved an average reduction of 1.7 percent per year.
Kris Johnson, president of the Association of Washington Business, said his group is still concerned about the potential economic damage from this new regulation. “Placing a cap on carbon emissions that targets Washington’s best employers sends the wrong signal to businesses of all sizes, both those that are here already and those hoping to relocate here, by driving up energy costs for employers and families at a time when we are already beginning to see signs of an economic slowdown,” he said in a statement.
But some critics said the proposed rule doesn’t require enough emissions reductions and disregards current science. “We are extremely disappointed,” said Andrea Rodgers, an attorney representing young activists who sued the state to adopt new rules to limit carbon emissions based on the best-available science.[199]
- Learn more about Phillips 66's Ferndale Refinery
May 31, 2016: Phillips Does Maintenance Work on FCCU at Borger Refinery
Nasdaq reported on May 31, 2016 that Phillips 66's Borger Refinery is undergoing two weeks of maintenance on equipment related to its gasoline-making uniy. "Unit 40 FCCU [fluid catalytic cracking unit] is scheduled to clean half of the blower surface condenser," it said in a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. "Unit 40 FCCU will reduce charge to minimize the possibility of process upset." The FCCU isn't scheduled to shut down during the work, which is due to end June 13, but that it may lead to plant emissions.[200]
- Learn more about Phillips 66's Borger Refinery
May 26, 2016: Phillips Reports Equipment Problems at Sweeny Refinery
Nasdaq reported on May 26, 2016 that Phillips 66 reported problems with equipment and emissions at its Sweeny refinery in Texas. "The wastewater plant regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) went into standby mode, and the bioreactor tank, Tank 69, vented," it said. "This RTO standby mode is a continuation of operational issues resulting from the May 21, 2016 power failure." Phillips said the emissions began May 24, 2016 and ended May 25, 2016.[201]
May 21, 2016: Phillips 66 Moves Closer to Sale of Whitegate Refinery in Ireland
The Irish Examiner reported on May 21, 2016 that Phillips 66 could announce the sale of Whitegate oil refinery as early as next week with negotiations believed to be at an advanced stage. Ireland's only refinery has been on the market since November 2015 when its current owners Phillips 66 (P66) took the decision to again seek a buyer after earlier attempts to offload it in 2014 failed. According to sources, a preferred bidder has been identified from a shortlist of interested companies which included private equity firm ArcLight Capital, Irving Oil, UK-based PTFPlusOne and Valero Energy. Canadian family-owned Irving Oil are understood to be the frontrunners in the sales process. Irving is a gas and oil processing, transporting and marketing company headquartered in Saint John with additional operations in the US state of New Hampshire. The Canadian firm was one of the companies touted as a potential buyer for Whitegate in 2007.
Whitegate reported losses in 2014 of more than $280m representing a fivefold increase on the $58m loss it made the previous year. Phillips 66 reduced the value of the plant and equipment resulting in an impairment cost of $127.6m in addition to its $146m operating loss.[202]
- Learn more about Phillips 66's Whitegate Refinery
May 18, 2016: Opponents Vow to Stay in Fight Against Phillips 66 Santa Maria Rail Project
Chris McGuinness wrote in the New Times on May 18, 2016 that feelings ran high at the meeting of the SLO County Planning Commission when commission members moved forward with plans to approve a modified version of the proposed Phillips 66 rail spur project, with members of the audience booing commissioners who expressed their support of the project, and cheering those who did not. Heidi Harmon, a local activist and opponent of the project, said that the commissioners' actions at the meeting may have been disheartening but would also serve to further galvanize those who oppose it. "I think they were disappointed and disgusted, but not discouraged," Harmon said. "I think they were trying to thread the needle," said Laurance Shinderman, a member of the Mesa Refinery Watch Group, an organization that opposes the project. "They bought into Phillips' shell game. ... We were disappointed." Whatever the commission's final decision is, it can still be appealed to the SLO County Board of Supervisors, the California Coastal Commission, and eventually the court system. The project will come back before the Planning Commission Sept. 22, and will include reopening public comment.[203]
- Learn more about Phillips 66's Santa Maria Refinery
May 16, 2016: San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission Agrees to Move Forward with Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery Rail Project
KSBY reported on May 16, 2016 that the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission agreed to move forward with a proposal to extend a rail spur at the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery. There was a consensus by straw vote to approve the project in the future but no formal vote was put on the record. Many people have expressed concerns over the safety risks associated with the project, which is expected to result in three oil trains traveling into the refinery each week. The commissioners suggested some conditions for the project that will be later formalized. Another Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for September 22, when the commissioners will open up those conditions for public comment. Even if the Planning Commission does give final approval to the project, it still would have to go through the County Board of Supervisors for an appeals process and then the Coastal Commission.[204]
May 11, 2016: Petroleum Engineer Explains "Rockets and Feathers" in the Refining Business
Robert Rapier, a former engineer at Phillips 66's Billings Refinery, wrote in Investors Business Daily on May 11, 2016 about a well-known phenomenon in the refining business called “rockets and feathers.” "It means that when oil prices rise, gasoline prices go up like a rocket," says Rapier. "But when oil prices fall, gasoline prices drift down like a feather." Several studies have confirmed this effect, which is driven by consumer behavior. When gasoline prices are climbing consumers will drive out of their way to save a nickel on a gallon of gasoline. Competition is more intense, but every filling station has a financial incentive to keep up with increases in the price of crude and wholesale gasoline. But when prices are falling consumers do less comparison shopping. As a result, refiners and retailers are much slower to reduce prices as oil prices fall. According to Rapier a general rule of thumb is that falling oil prices earn refiners higher margins, while rising crude costs hurt them.[205]
May 10, 2016: Mid-Continent Refineries Including Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery Brace for Prolonged Shutdown of Canadian Oil After Wildfires
Argus Media reported on May 10, 2016 that Midcontinent refiners including Phillips 66 will likely tap into crude storage at Cusing and use Gulf coast pipelines to make up for Canadian crude supplies curtailed by wildfires raging through Alberta, Canada that have displaced thousands from communities tied to oil sands development and shut in more than 1mn b/d of production. Refiners did not yet know exactly how the disaster would affect crude shipments into the US midcontinent, which averaged 2.1mn b/d last year but sources familiar with operations expected some kind of disruption and said companies were making plans for alternate supplies. In the wake of the fires those refiners may now turn to continued access to near-record volumes at the crude oil storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma. Crude in Cushing storage has swollen to a record 67.5mn bl this year, and were last week at 66.3mn bl. Taking Cushing crudes would be a change in diet for refiners like BP, Marathon Petroleum and Phillips 66, which have all undertaken major expansions to their ability to process oil sands crude over the past five years. Phillips 66 declined to comment on specific supply adjustments but said the company does expect reductions to its crude supply. The US independent refiner imported an average 200,000 b/d in 2015 for the 356,000 b/d Wood River refinery in Roxana, Illinois, it operates with Canadian integrated firm Cenovus.[206]
According to Reuters oil producers and refiners are bracing for a prolonged shutdown and possible supply constraints from Canada's vast oil sands region as a destructive wildfire raged for a second week. Officials said resuming operations would be a challenge and no timeline had been considered. "This production is not gone for good, yet when fires are controlled, restarting production will take several more weeks, even without damage," energy analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note. Three firms have issued warnings of "force majeure" events, including BP Plc, which produces oil in Canada via a partnership with Husky, Suncor Energy Inc, the largest Canadian oil producer, and U.S. refiner Phillips 66. Force majeure is an unforeseen event that prevents a party from fulfilling a contract. The notices were for the inability to deliver on some contracts for Canadian crude. Record U.S. inventories and plentiful supplies in storage in western Canada will offset some of the losses from the blaze but prolonged outages in the oil sands, which has the world's third-largest crude reserves, could roil producers and traders' contracts and order books.[207]
May 6, 2016: Documentary "High Stakes" Premieres with the 'Real Story' of E. W. Marland, Preempting Hollywood's Inaccuracies
The Tulsa World reported that “High Stakes: The Life and Times of E.W. Marland" premiered in Ponca City on May 6, 2016 and will premier in Tulsa on May 12, 2016. The hope is that people learn the real story of oilman, politician, and philanthropist E. W. Marland from the documentary and want to tour the Marland Mansion and the Marland Grand Home to learn more of the story.[208] The documentary, filmed by Scott Swearingen and Steve Herrin, was funded by a grant of $100,000 from the Marland Estate Foundation. “The project was completely funded with no city funds used,” said David Keathly, director of the Marland Mansion. "We have been working on it over a year.”[209]
The impetus for the documentary came in February, 2013 when Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein announced “The Ends of the Earth,” a film about E.W. Marland based on a screenplay from Oscar-winner Chris Terrio of “Argo". The hot film project seemed to come together quickly with Jennifer Lawrence slated to play Lydie Marland, the governor’s second wife, and David Russell selected to direct the picture. Residents of Ponca City were excited to learn that a movie would be made about one of it's most prominent citizens as rumors circulated that principal filming and production of the major motion picture would be done in Ponca City and that Christian Bale or Johnny Depp were being considered for the role of E. W. Marland.
But in May, 2013 a Ponca City citizen alerted local civic leaders to the contents of Chris Terrio's screenplay and passed on a copy of the script for "The Ends of the Earth." When members of the E.W. Marland Estate Foundation were given the opportunity to take a look at Terrio's screenplay and it's “dramatic license, or, well, inaccuracies,” said Scott Swearingen, they decided that something needed to be done. "There was going to be an emphasis on drama, with the facts going by the wayside. The [Marland Estate] Foundation was concerned that people come to see the mansion with that story in mind. The wrong story,” said Swearingen, co-producer of the documentary, who has crafted video productions for exhibits at Gilcrease Museum of Art and the Woody Guthrie Center. Apparently Marland was not going to be shown in a good light, said Swearingen. “Lydie was going to be the heroine of the story, which would show her doing things to help employees that E.W. wouldn’t do, when it was actually E.W. who had instituted the policies that helped these employees.” The foundation hired Swearingen and Herrin to “tell the story as it happened — to get it right.”
Meanwhile the Hollywood production of "The Ends of the Earth" ” has now gone silent and all involved have moved on to other projects. E. W. Marland's story is "a great story about never giving up. It’s remarkable to see how a person accumulates so much money and then loses it in a perfect storm. Why would you need to fictionalize this?” says Steve Herrin, one of the producers of "High Stakes". “The real story is so much more interesting than anything Hollywood could come up with.”[210]
May 4, 2016: Philips 66 Transfers Ownership of Ponca Refinery's Standish Pipeline to Phillips 66 Partners LP
Businesswire reported on May 4, 2016 that Phillips 66 Partners LP announced that it has reached agreement with Phillips 66 to acquire the Standish Pipeline, a refined petroleum products pipeline system extending from Phillips 66’s Ponca City Refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma, to the Partnership’s North Wichita Terminal in Wichita, Kansas. Also involved in the sale are the remaining 75 percent interest in Phillips 66 Sweeny Frac LLC, which owns the newly constructed Sweeny Fractionator One and Clemens Caverns storage facility. The total value of the sale is $775 million. “The acquisition provides the Partnership with full ownership in Sweeny Fractionator One and the Clemens Caverns, further diversifying our fee-based portfolio,” said Greg Garland, Phillips 66 Partners chairman and CEO. “The addition of the Standish Pipeline is consistent with our plan to build out our current systems that are strategically integrated with Phillips 66 refineries. We remain on track to deliver our stated five-year compound annual distribution growth target of 30 percent through the end of 2018.”[211]
May 3, 2016: Rancher Files Lawsuit Against Phillips 66 for Pollution from Pipeline from Santa Maria Refinery
Cal Coast News reported on May 3, 2016 that Rob Rossi, an owner of the more than 14,000 acre Santa Margarita Ranch, filed a lawsuit against ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 on Friday for allegedly operating a pipeline that has contaminated a portion of his ranch. The pipeline extends 78 miles from Phillips 66's Santa Maria refinery to a junction pipe station in the San Joaquin Valley. In the years since the pipeline was constructed, the defendants removed or replaced the pipeline twice. During one of the maintenance projects, hydrocarbons were discovered to have leaked into the soil, according to the lawsuit. The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board then opened an investigation that led to the discovery of oil related contaminants in the soil and groundwater in areas adjacent to the pipeline. The contaminates discovered showed that the leaks were not only historical but current, as some of the chemicals found were not added to oil until 2000, according to the lawsuit. In his lawsuit, Rossi is seeking that the defendants stop any continuing pipeline leaks, clean up any contamination from its pipeline on the property, reimburse Rossi for expenses related to the leaks, indemnify Rossi, pay damages for injury to the property, pay civil penalties for contaminating drinking water and pay Rossi’s legal costs. “Defendants’ petroleum hydrocarbon contamination on the headquarters property, in addition to posing a continuing threat to human health and the environment, has impeded and, until abated, will continue to impede Rossi’s ability to freely and beneficially use, enjoy and develop his property,” the lawsuit says.[212]
April 29, 2016: Ponca Refinery Earns $33.8 Million in Annualized Profit for Phillips 66 in Q1 2016
Phillips 66 reported their first quarter earnings for 2016 on April 29, 2016 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show Ponca Refinery is the fourth most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. Ponca Refinery earned $8.5 million for Phillips in the first quarter of 2016 for an annualized profit of $33.8 million. Phillips' Sweeney Refinery in Old Ocean, TX and Alliance Refinery in Belle Chasse, LA tied as the most profitable refineries with $9.2 million in earnings for an annualized profit of $36.9 million. The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the first quarter of 2016 are:[213]
- Sweeny Refinery - $36.9 million
- Alliance Refinery - $36.9 million
- Lake Charles Refinery - $35.7 million
- Ponca Refinery - $33.8 million
- Bayway Refinery - $32.8 million
See Appendix 4 for detailed calculations:
April 29, 2016: Phillips 66 Net Earnings Fall 61 percent as Refining Margins Plummet
FuelFix reported on April 29, 2016 that Phillips 66 saw its quarterly net income crater by 61 percent as the spread between falling crude oil and refined products prices — like gasoline and other fuels — dropped dramatically. Phillips 66 still reported quarterly earnings of $385 million on Friday, but that was down greatly from $987 million during the beginning of 2015, and from $650 million in the fourth quarter. “Weaker margins impacted our financial results in the first quarter,” said Greg Garland, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66, said in a prepared statement. “Our businesses ran well, and we remain focused on operating excellence with industry-leading safety performance.” Phillips 66 profits from their chemicals sectors dipped only slight from a year ago, but the refining earnings alone fell by 84 percent from $538 million down to $86 million. Last year, refining represented well more than half of Phillips 66’s profits.[214]
April 29, 2016: Garland Says Efforts Are Underway to Increase Heavy Canadian Crude at Billings Refinery to 100%
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that t the Billings refinery, efforts are underway to increase the amount of heavy Canadian crude we can run to 100%.[215]
April 29, 2016: Crack Spreads in the Central Corridor including Ponca Refinery Were 24% Lower This Quarter
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that in the Central Corridor lower margins accounted for the majority of the reductions in adjusted earnings from the fourth quarter as market cracks were 24% lower.[216]
April 29, 2016: Santa Maria Refinery Continues to Be Affected by Plains Pipeline Outage
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that the Santa Maria continues to be affected by the Plains Pipeline outage.[217]
April 29, 2016: Sweeny Hub is Nearing Completion
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that development of the first phase for the Sweeny Hub is nearing completion. "The LPG export terminal is 80% complete, is on time and on budget," said Garland. "The completion of the terminal will represent a major step in the development of a world class energy complex within integrated refining, chemical and midstream assets. PSXP remains an important part of our midstream growth strategy the fee based assets within its portfolio continue to perform well."[218]
April 29, 2016: Phillips Expects to Conclude the Divestiture Process with Whitegate Refinery This Year
In answer to a question from Neil Mehta, Kevin Mitchell told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that Phillips has a process underway for divestiture at Whitegate and we expect that will conclude this year.[219]
April 29, 2016: Phillips Is Not Actively Seeking to Divest Santa Maria, Wilmington, and Rodeo Refineries in California
In answer to a question from Neil Mehta, Kevin Mitchell told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that although Phillips has talked about divestiture of its California refineries in the past at this point Phillips will just hold on to them at this point in time. "California we talked about a lot the hold cost or the option value is really not much there is not a lot of capital in front of us in California last few year margins have been very good in California so it's a net cash contributor," said Mitchell. "And you think about could you sell asset probably but could we did good value for it, probably not and so I think we just hold it at this point in time they're good assets, they're probably mid back in terms of where they set their cost structure, but given the option value to keep, I think it'll just hang on."[220]
April 29, 2016: Wood River Refinery is On Schedule for Debottlenecking Project This Quarter
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that at the Wood River Refinery we’re undergoing debottlenecking in our own schedule for completion in the third quarter[221]
April 29, 2016: FCC Modernization is on Schedule at Cedar Bayou
Greg Garland told analysts during the 2016 first quarter earnings conference call on April 29, 2016 that work on the FCC modernization is on schedule at Cedar Bayou.[222]
April 29, 2016: How Educational Attainment of Students in Ponca City Schools Compares to Other Districts in Northern Oklahoma
The New York Times reported on April 29, 2016 on a study by researchers at Stanford University that provides data on reading and math test score data from across the country. The researchers are making the data files public so that anyone who is interested can obtain detailed information about American schools, communities, and student success. "We hope that researchers will use these to generate evidence about what policies and contexts are most effective at increasing educational opportunity, and that such evidence will inform educational policy and practices."
The data shows average test scores by school district for grades 3 to 8. According to the data, students in the Ponca City School District have "about average" test score with educational attainment about 0.2 years below the average expected level of achievement within the United States. For comparison students in the Bartlesville School District about about 0.9 years above the average expected level of achievement within the United States. Comparing average test scores for students in the Ponca City School District with other Oklahoma communities near Ponca City with a similar size to Ponca City yields the following results:
- Bartlesville: 0.9 grades above average
- Stillwater: 0.6 grades above average
- Ponca City: 0.2 grades below average
- Enid: 0.6 grades below average
One-unit below zero means that students in the district are one grade level behind the average; one-unit above zero means that students in the district are one grade level above the average. A one-unit change is interpreted as a grade-equivalent change, such as the difference in achievement between grades 3 and 4.[223][224]
April 28, 2016: U.S. Refiners' Years-Long Windfall from Cheap Crude Has Come to an End
Retuers reported on April 28, 2016 that U.S. refiners' years-long boom from cheap and plentiful crude ground to a halt in the first quarter as swelling oil inventories and weak demand pushed revenues to their lowest in years and punished profits. Refiners are now paying the price for ramping up production in 2015 to chase healthy crack spreads that have now led to higher inventories and weaker margins as demand slackened during the mild winter. PBF Energy Inc and CVR Energy reported quarterly losses of $66.5 million and $68 million, respectively, while Marathon Petroleum Corp eked out a $1 million profit after reporting earnings of almost $900 million a year earlier. "They were incentivized to run at higher rates and put more barrels in inventory. That's the overhang we're seeing right now," said CVR Chief Executive Jack Lipinski. Distillate and gasoline inventories in the United States have risen to near record highs and crack spreads, the difference between the prices of crude oil and refined products, hit their weakest in years forcing refiners to voluntarily lower output in the most widespread cuts since the global financial crisis.[225]
April 27, 2016: Phillips Idles Part of Wood River Refinery After Heavy Storms Knock Out Power
Reuters reported on April 27, 2016 that Phillips 66 has unexpectedly shut down a 64,000 barrel-per-day crude unit and associated vacuum distillation unit and a coker at Wood River Refinery after heavy storms knocked out power to the western portion of the plant on April 26, 2016, according to a source familiar with the plant's operations. It is still unclear when the units will be restarted, the source said.[226]
April 27, 2016: Winds Tear Off Part of Roof at Phillips 66 Research Center Campus in Bartlesville
KJRH reported on April 27, 2016 that powerful wind gusts in Bartlesville tore off part of the roof at a building on the Phillips 66 Research Center campus off Highway 60 west of Bartlesville. A spokeswoman said no one was injured there, and the damage did not affect any business operations.[227]
April 22, 2016: Phillips 66 says Planned Work is Underway at Sweeny Refinery after a Power Malfunction
Reuters reported on April 27, 2016 that Phillips 66 says planned work is underway at its 247,000 bpd Sweeny, Texas refinery after an April 22 power malfunction.[228]
April 21, 2016: Phillips 66 Donates $500,000 to Disaster Fund After Houston Flooding
The Cleveland Advocate reported on April 21, 2016 that Phillips 66 donated $500,000 in response to the devastating storms and flooding in Houston. Their donation to the Texas Floods coincides with National Giving Day, the one-day Red Cross fundraising campaign supporting the organization’s mission to help people in need of emergency support. "Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the people affected by the Houston area floods,” said Greg Garland, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Phillips 66. “We are extremely grateful to the first responders, medical personnel and volunteers who have come to the aid of so many.” Initial reports show more than 4,500 homes in the Greater Houston area took on water over the last few days and the threat of more flooding will continue throughout this week. The American Red Cross has been working day and night to offer shelter, meals, relief supplies and comfort to flood victims. “We are greatly appreciative of Phillips 66’s donation at this critical time in our community,” said Steve Vetrano, Regional CEO, American Red Cross of the Texas Gulf Coast. “Over the past few days, for example, the Red Cross has provided nearly 700 shelter stays and 7840 meals to those in need. Phillips 66 is helping us help others as we respond to the disaster and begin to help people recover.”[229]
April 20, 2016: Air Board Approves Rule Requiring Sulfur Dioxide Pollution Reductions from Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery
The Chico News reported on April 21, 2016 that the Bay Area air board approved a rule requiring large sulfur dioxide pollution reductions from the Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery that recycles coke, a hard, black refining byproduct. Those reductions will amount to a 1 percent or more cut in the total emissions from the Bay Area's refining industry, the air district estimated.
Bay Area oil refineries including Chevron in Richmond, Shell in Martinez, Tesoro north of Concord, Phillips 66 in Rodeo, and Valero in Benicia will be required to increase monitoring of air pollution leaving their plants and, for the first time, disclose properties of crude oil coming in, under a regional air board rule adopted. The emissions tracking rule was adopted 18-3 by the air district board after more than 20 people spoke on the proposal developed over three years. Bay Area oil refineries include Chevron in Richmond, Shell in Martinez, Tesoro north of Concord, Phillips 66 in Rodeo, and Valero in Benicia. For the first time in California, refineries from a region will be required to give detailed information about properties of crude oil stock, including concentrations of toxic benzene and sulfur dioxide.
The rule is the latest in a series of pollution reduction measures proposed after a large fire at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond in 2012 sent thousands of people to hospitals with smoke-related symptoms. For years, refinery neighbors have demanded more monitors to track air pollution from the plants. Environmentalists say the rule fails to go far enough because it doesn't set hard limits on total emissions from refineries. "There is some good in this rule, but it's a sideshow that distracts from the district's need to set an overall cap on refinery pollution," said Greg Karras, scientist with Communities for a Better Environment, a statewide environmental group.[230]
April 15, 2016: Malfunction at Sweeny Refinery
Reuters reported on April 15, 2016 that at 1 pm two 20" vent valves opened up unexpectedly at Phillips 66's Sweeny Refinery causing the C-100 blower to experience a low air flow condition. Employees worked to reset the vent valves, restart the blower and return the oil feed to the process unit. Phillip reported there was a release from the flue gas stack unit 27.1 fluid catalytic cracking unit and "high CO conditions called for the shutdown of the electrostatic precipitator, thereby causing excess opacity as particulates exited the regenerator flue gas stack."[231]
April 10, 2016: Keystone Pipeline Restarts at Reduced Pressure
Reuters reported on April 10, 2016 that TransCanada Corp said it had restarted the 590,000- barrel-per-day Keystone crude pipeline at reduced pressure after it received American authorization to do so. The pipeline, which delivers light and heavy crude from Hardisty, Alberta, to Cushing, Oklahoma, and to Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery in Illinois, was shut on April 2 after a potential leak was discovered in South Dakota. The company said it identified the leak near its Freeman pump station in Hutchinson County, South Dakota.[232]
Phillips 66 shut several units at its Wood River Refinery in Roxana on April 4, 2016, sources said. Phillips shut down a 64,000 bpd “sour” unit — which processes oil with a high sulfur content — and a 16,000 bpd coker due to the disruption in supply, two sources told Reuters. The company used the opportunity to advance some planned work on the units during the shutdown, which could extend beyond the restart of the pipeline, the sources said. The refinery imported nearly 200,000 bpd of heavy sour Canadian crude last year, according to U.S. government data.[233]
April 5, 2016: Phillips 66 Midstream Joint Venture Cuts 300 Jobs
FuelFix reported on April 5, 2016 that Denver-based DCP Midstream, a pipeline and gas processing joint venture between Phillips 66 and Spectra Energy, is eliminating 300 positions nationwide. After the 300 cuts, DCP will still employ about 2,900 overall.
In a prepared statement, DCP Chairman and CEO Wouter van Kempen said the joint venture reduced its 2016 capital budget down to $250 million. In comparison, Phillips 66’s contribution alone to DCP’s capital budget last year was $550 million. Van Kempen noted DCP completed most of its capital construction program last year. “This is a challenging environment that we are managing through and we continue to execute on our strategy to reset our break-even cost to ensure we are the most reliable, safe, low-cost midstream services provider sustainable in any environment,” van Kempen said in a prepared statement.[234]
April 4, 2016: Keystone Pipeline Closure Affects Operations at Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery
Reuters reported on April 4, 2016 that the sudden closure of the Keystone oil pipeline from Canada due to a potential leak in South Dakota has forced Phillips 66 to shut several units at its Wood River Refinery in Roxana, sources said. Phillips’ Wood River Refinery has shut down a 64,000 bpd “sour” unit — which processes oil with a high sulfur content — and a 16,000 bpd coker due to the disruption in supply, two sources told Reuters. The company is using the opportunity to advance some planned work on the units during the shutdown, which could extend beyond the restart of the pipeline, the sources said. The refinery imported nearly 200,000 bpd of heavy sour Canadian crude last year, according to U.S. government data.
Houston-based Phillips 66 confirmed that it cut rates at the refinery to deal with the pipeline issues, but declined to discuss or confirm the shutdown of the units. “At this time we are still meeting product supply commitments to our customers in the region,” Phillips 66 said.[235]
March 29, 2016: Chevron Phillips Expands Polyalphaolefins Capacity at Cedar Bayou Plant
Businesswire reported on March 29, 2016 that Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP, a joint venture between Chevron and Phillips 66, has announced their decision to expand the low viscosity polyalphaolefins (PAO) capacity at its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, Texas by 10,000 metric tons per year or about 20 percent. Construction will begin in April 2016 with completion and startup expected by mid-2017. "The expansion will allow the company to meet the increasing demand for high-performance lubricants in automotive and industrial applications, as demand for higher energy efficiency and high-quality basestocks continues to grow. This additional capacity enables us to expand with our customer base to meet the future requirements of the industry," said Global PAO Business Manager for Chevron Phillips Chemical Miles Oberton. Chevron Phillips Chemical is a leader in the development and production of PAOs, marketed under the brand name Synfluid® PAO, which are used for a variety of automotive and industrial applications including engine oils, gear oils and greases.[236]
March 25, 2016: Phillips 66 to Pay for Damaged Roads from Pipeline Construction Near Sweeny Refinery
The Brazoria Facts reported on March 25, 2016 that County Commissioners in Brazoria County, home of Phillips 66's Sweeny Refinery, have voted to hire a third-party firm to help prepare bidding and engineering documents for the second, third and fourth phases of the agreement with Phillips 66, with a stipulation the refinery shoulder the more than $157,000 in professional services costs for repair costs for roads, all of which fall in either Precinct 1 or Precinct 4 that have been damaged by heavy traffic caused by pipeline construction. Precinct 3 Commissioner Stacy Adams said while he agreed the county should not do the work in-house, he also didn’t think taxpayers should be responsible for the professional services expenses. “In this case, we would not be doing these roads but for the fact that they tore them up. They’d be being repaved over the next five to seven years in the normal course of business with no outside services,” Adams said. “So if any outside services were required, they should pay for them. “They’re saving $100 million in taxes over 10 years. You think $157,000 is going to bother them?” Commissioners decided to ask Phillips 66 to take on the professional services expenses, which County Judge Matt Sebesta said they agreed to do.“These are going to be brand-new roads,” Payne said.[237]
March 16, 2016: Matthew DiLallo Says the Biggest Problem with ConocoPhillips is its Tarnished Reputation
Matthew DiLallo writes at Fox Business that ConocoPhillips spent many years building a good reputation with investors for being a conservative oil company whose dividend could weather any storm. "That reputation, however, was shredded to pieces after the company significantly reduced the payout earlier this year," says DiLallo. "That tarnished reputation is a big problem for the company, because it might never win back investors' trust."[238]
ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance told stockholders during the fourth quarter conference call in 2014 that "as we have said consistently since this spin, our top priority is the dividend. This is an important part of our investment thesis. The dividend provides discipline on our capital allocation process and we believe it is important in a mature business, so no change to the outlook on the dividend." ConocoPhillips CFO Jeff Sheets added during the company's third-quarter conference call in 2015 that "we think of a dividend as something that really should only go one direction and there can be some variability in the rate at which dividend increases. But the key to a dividend is to have it be consistent and to grow it over time. So we haven't really had significant discussion to talk about trying to adjust the dividend. It's an important part of our value proposition. It puts a lot of discipline into the system to have that dividend. So you've heard us talk about it pretty consistently. You're going to continue to hear us talk about that as a key component of our value proposition."[239][240]
Given the constant reassurances surrounding the dividend, it was a shock to see ConocoPhillips' announcement on February 3, 2016 that it was reducing its dividend by 66%. Clearly, it was a prudent move by the company, but it is a move that should have been better telegraphed from the start. "ConocoPhillips biggest problem right now is that it has a management team that has lost the trust of investors," concludes DiLallo. "After spending a year telling investors that its dividend was safe, the company went against its word. In doing so, it destroyed a reputation that took quite a while to build, and now will take even longer to rebuild. That could come back to haunt the company later because, not only will its own investors be reluctant to stick with the company, but it will have a hard time wooing new investors, given its tarnished reputation."[241]
- See also ValueWalk Analyzes the Relation Between ConocoPhillips' Stock Buybacks and the Dividend Cut
March 15, 2016: Phillips Sends Its First US Crude Cargo to Singapore
Phillips is chartering a vessel that’s loading crude in Texas, and headed to Singapore, according to fixture data available via Thomson Reuters Eikon. The Cape Bari, a Suezmax tanker, is expected to discharge on April 8.[242]
CNN reported on January 29, 2016 that just weeks after Congress lifted a 40-year ban on exporting oil, the first shipments of the black stuff left U.S. ports for Europe. "The fact that producers have free access to the global market will make it easier for U.S. supply to respond to disruptions around the world," said Jason Borduff, a former energy adviser to President Obama who is currently a professor at Columbia University. There are also logistical hurdles keeping U.S. oil from straying too far from home. Due to the longstanding export ban, America's Gulf Coast doesn't currently have the equipment in place needed to load the giant supertankers that other countries typically use to ship oil long distances, according to Nilofar Saidi, a crude oil market analyst at ClipperData. Smaller ships can be used on voyages to Latin America and Europe, but aren't ideal for far-flung places like East Asia. "Given the market situation today, there's going to be caution about large-scale infrastructure investments," Borduff said. U.S. refiners have spent heavily on upgrades in recent years that allow them to process the ultra-light crude being pumped from U.S. shale fields. That means it probably makes more economic sense to leave American oil at home for now.[243]
The American Journal of Transportation reported on September 9, 2015 that Phillips 66’s investments in storage and pipeline infrastructure in southeastern Texas gave the company an “option on exports” should the decades-old domestic crude export ban be lifted, Chief Executive Officer Greg Garland told analysts. “I do think people will make investments to support export infrastructure and we want to do that too,” Garlands aid during a webcast presentation at the Barclays CEO Energy-Power conference in New York. In 2014 Phillips 66 acquired a 7.1 million barrel crude and refined products terminal in Beaumont, Texas, that Garland said was “really an option on crude exports.” The terminal has two Aframax-capable docks and a barge dock. It also has rail and truck offloading facilities. Phillips is a 25 percent partner in two Energy Transfer Partners pipeline projects that aim to move North Dakota Bakken and Canadian heavy crude to Sunoco Logistics Partners’ storage terminal in nearby Nederland by late 2016.[244]
Reuters reported on April 11, 2014 that after securing an export license in 2013, Phillips is now exporting oil to Canada. A Phillips spokesman declined to say where in Canada its exports are headed and in what volume and did not disclose if the oil will reach its destination via rail or barges. "As a matter of practice, Phillips 66 does not comment on commercial activity," said spokesman Dennis Nuss. The United States does not allow exports of its own oil, but makes exceptions such as barrels going to Canada and re-exports of foreign oil.[245]
March 11, 2016: Public Comment Closes on Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Project
KSBY reported on March 11, 2016 that more than 120 people, both proponents and opponents, took the podium for the final day of comment on Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Project. The first three days of public hearings drew more than 400 people from all around the state. "It's been a long day, it has been a long four weeks," said San Luis Obispo Planning Commissioner Don Campbell. "We are happy to begin deliberations now. We have a lot of information to go through."
In the previous hearings, hundreds of people spoke out, stating how the risk of a derailment would be catastrophic. Supporters of the proposal pointed to the company's safety record as well as the jobs that would be created from the extension. Commissioners will be reviewing comments received from the public and federal laws on the proposed project. They will also be meeting with the county's attorneys regarding local laws and other legal obligations if they decide to approve the project. "It's going to take us some time to digest what we've heard from the public and to review all the components before we can make a decision on the project," said Campbell.[246]
March 9, 2016: Greg Garland in Ponca City for Town Hall Meeting with Employees at Ponca Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on March 9, 2016 that Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland and Larry Ziemba, Executive Vice President for Refining, visited Ponca City for a town hall meeting with employees at Ponca Refinery. Garland was hosted by Refinery Manager Tim Siedel.[247]
March 7, 2016: Phillips 66 to Pay Penalty for Undisclosed Mailers, Misleading Voters in California
Associated Press reported on March 7, 2016 that Phillips 66 agreed to pay $16,000 to California’s campaign finance watchdog after secretly paying $41,000 for 17,000 mailers to Rialto residents in 2012. The mailers opposed a local tax increase on oil companies. Voters rejected the measure. An agreement released Monday shows attorneys for the Fair Political Practices Commission found Phillips 66 avoided disclosing its role by passing payments between two organizations. Phillips 66 told the state it believed its payments were legal, but attorneys for the agency decided it misled voters and warranted a penalty.[248]
March 4, 2016: Phillips Reports Emission, Repairs at Borger Refinery
Nasdaq reported on March 4, 2016 that Phillips will begin a month-long emissions event related to maintenance repairs at its Borger refinery. "The line going to Unit 34's SRU [sulfur recovery unit] incinerator is partially plugged with sulfur," it said in a filing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It said sections of that line will be heated in an effort to melt out the sulfur, and that "there may be visible emissions during the heating of the line." Phillips said, however, that the Unit 34 SRU isn't scheduled to go down. It said the emissions event was scheduled to begin Friday morning and last until April 4.[249]
March 3, 2016: Phillips Took 20% of Their Nationwide Refining Capacity Offline at One Point in February
FuelFix reports that Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Greg Garland told the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2016 Refining Conference in New York that at one point during February Phillips 66 took about 400,000 barrels a day of crude processing offline from its 2.1 million barrels capacity nationwide, although he would not cite specific refineries. "We reduced run – we made run cuts, economic run cuts around the system. I think at one point in time we were down almost 400,000 barrels a day across the system," said Garland. Garland added that Phillips 66 refineries are now back up to running more than 90 percent of capacity, after dipping down to about 80 percent. “We all ran max gasoline (production) in the fourth quarter,” said Garland adding that refineries built up too much storage inventory of winter-blend gasoline. “Generally, when we look in the mirror, we find the enemy. We had to work through that overhang in the first quarter.”
Despite the weak quarter, Garland said he expects good gasoline demand this year moving into the busier spring and summer driving seasons, especially since so many people bought gas-guzzling trucks and sport-utility vehicles last year with low gasoline prices.[250][251]
Garland's remarks echoed reports from Reuters on February 10, 2016 that Phillips 66 dumped crude for immediate delivery in Cushing, Oklahoma on February 10, 2016, sparking speculation that the move reflected advance warning of looming output cuts amid sluggish winter demand and record inventories. It was unclear how many barrels Phillips sold, but three traders confirmed at least two deals traded at negative $2.50 and $2.75 a barrel. These deals drew notice among traders, who said the prices were distressed and the timing unusual. U.S. Energy Information Administration data on February 10, 2016 showed inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub hit a record 64.7 million barrels last week - just 8 million barrels shy of its theoretical limit - stoking concerns that tanks may overflow in coming weeks. According to Reuters midwest refiners ran their facilities near full tilt for much of January, averaging more than 96 percent capacity utilization compared with just under 91 percent last year, inundating the region with stocks of gasoline and distillates in what one trader described the market as a "bloodbath."[252][253][254]
- See also Phillips May Cut Production at Ponca Refinery as Phillips Dumps Crude at Cushing Below Cost February 10, 2016
March 3, 2016: Phillips Funds $200 Million Project at Wood River Refinery to Run More Heavy Crude
Greg Garland talked at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2016 Refining Conference on March 3, 2016 about some of the optimizing strategies Phillips 66 is utilizing across their system to improve refining margins through selective investments including a $200 million capital project to debottleneck some of the light ends constraints Phillips has at Wood River Refinery so the refinery can run more heavy crude. "When we think about our base refining business, it is a run-well and optimize strategy. It’s manage your costs well, manage your capital well going into this business, and improve your margins through selective investments. You can see we’re spending a little more in refining in 2016. We’re giving you an idea of some of the projects that we’re executing. We have opportunities across the system; at Wood River, we’ve got some de-bottlenecking, essentially to debottleneck some of the light ends constraints we have at Wood River so we can run more heavy crude. We’re going to upgrade the FCC at Wood River, about a $200 million capital project all in, $100 million of EBITDA, so 2 times build multiple, 30-40% return project."[255]
March 3, 2016: Phillips Funds $150 Million Project at Bayway Refinery to Upgrade FCC
Greg Garland talked at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2016 Refining Conference on March 3, 2016 about some of the optimizing strategies Phillips 66 is utilizing across their system to improve refining margins through selective investments including a $150 million project to upgrade the FCC at Bayway Refinery. "As you look at Bayway, we have the opportunity to upgrade the FCC at Bayway. It’s the largest FCC in the northern hemisphere, but it’s like a 1957 Chevy. So we can improve the yield there and make more Phillips 66 gasoline coming out of that, it’s about a $150 million project, $75 million of EBITDA."[256]
March 3, 2016: Phillips Funds $300 Million Project at Billings Refinery to Move to 100% Heavy
Greg Garland talked at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2016 Refining Conference on March 3, 2016 about some of the optimizing strategies Phillips 66 is utilizing across their system to improve refining margins through selective investments including a $300 million project to help move the Billings Refinery to 100% Heavy. "At Billings, we’re moving to 100% heavy. Also run higher tan crude at Billings, $300 million project, $125 million EDBITA. So you can see these are great projects, great build multiples in excess of 30% return on these projects."[257]
March 3, 2016: Warren Buffett Files with SEC to Purchase Up to 25% of Phillips 66 Stock
In answer to a question at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2016 Refining Conference on March 3, 2016 about Warren Buffet's investment in Phillips 66, Greg Garland disclosed that Buffet presently owned 14% of Phillips' shares and had filed with the SEC to purchase up to 25% of Phillips' shares. "So it’s probably not appropriate for me to comment on Mr. Buffett. We’re certainly happy to have him as a shareholder. A very sophisticated investor, usually long-term holder. I actually think he makes good decisions, too. But we’re happy to have him in the shares. I really can’t comment on his strategy. I think you’re right. He’s filed for 25%."[258]
Garland's remarks follow a report from James Detar in Investors Business Daily on February 12, 2016 that Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, has been loading up on shares of Phillips 66, fueling speculation that Buffett may buy the oil refiner outright. According to S&P Global Markets Intelligence analyst Cathy Seifert investors are reminded of Buffett's transactions that led up to his $9.7 billion acquisition of lubricant and chemical maker Lubrizol in 2011. “He bought an equity stake and then bought the company,” Seifert told IBD adding that she doesn’t have knowledge of a specific plan by Buffett to buy Phillips 66, but his purchases of its stock follow a well-trodden path. “You have to think what his patterns tend to be,” Seifert said. “This move lately was an opportunity to, No. 1, diversify holdings and, No. 2, gain opportunistic exposure to the space at an attractive price. It’s a function of diversification and a long-term macro view of an opportunity to get in.”
If Buffett is planning an acquisition of Phillips 66, it would likely be among his largest takeovers ever. Phillips 66 has a market cap of $40 billion. Last month, Berkshire closed its $37.2 billion purchase of Precision Castparts, its biggest acquisition to date. Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland was asked about the big Berkshire purchases on a Jan. 29 earnings call but only said, “We don’t comment on conversations with shareholders.” Berkshire didn’t respond to requests for comment.[259]
- See also Is Warren Buffett Planning to Buy Phillips 66 February 12, 2016
March 2, 2016: Don Nickles Reacts to Death of Aubrey McClendon
NewsOK reported on March 2, 2016 that Ponca City native and former United States Senator Don Nickles expressed deep regret over the death of Aubrey McClendon, the natural gas entrepreneur who died in a fiery single-car crash one day after he was charged with conspiring to rig bids for oil and natural gas leases.
“Aubrey McClendon’s passing is a very sad day for Oklahoma and for our country," said Nickles. "He and Tom Ward were responsible for founding and building Chesapeake Energy and providing thousands of Oklahomans and others across the country with the best job of their lives. He was energetic and a real visionary among energy leaders and helped lead the effort to make our country energy independent and break the back of OPEC. Aubrey and Katie also had an enormous positive impact on Oklahoma City and Oklahoma with their generosity.”[260]
Nickles was a member of the Board of Directors of McClendon's Chesapeake Energy from 2005 to 2012.[261]
February 25, 2016: Comments Are Evenly Split at Second Hearing for Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Project
The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported on February 25, 2016 that the first two days of the hearing on Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Project held on February 4 and 5 drew hundreds of people to San Luis Obispo, with many urging county planning commissioners to reject the rail spur extension project but the second hearing of the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission, held on February 25, 2016 heard from more than 20 people with comments evenly split between opponents and supporters.
Several of the supporters who work at the refinery stressed Phillips' commitment to safety and track record of “being a good neighbor.” “It is the safest company that I’ve ever worked for,” said Jerry Harshbarger, who works in purchasing. “We still have a strong demand for fossil fuels and stopping this project will not stop that demand.” Another San Luis Obispo resident said the products of gas and oil could be seen throughout the room, and urged: “We as a community should work toward how to do this.” “You drive a car and go up to the pump,” Laura Mordaunt said. “A truck is there filled with gas that is way more volatile. Your vehicle parked in your garage is far more dangerous than this process and yet you continue to drive.” For some who spoke Thursday, it is their jobs and the jobs of their loved ones on the line. “The refinery is really concerned about their ability to stay operational. That affects 200 families, We are concerned with that,” explained Vince Herrera, a Santa Maria resident who works as a Process Control Engineer at the Santa Maria Refinery. In recent hearings, Phillips 66 said if the rail project is denied, the company will deliver the oil anyway, using 100 trucks per week. Company officials say three trains per week would be safer and less disruptive.
Opponents, meanwhile, say that commissioners should not take into account the company’s safety record or personal relationships. “Their plan is an irreversible disaster,” Nipomo resident Nora Lee said. “The effects will be felt instantly with poisonous air pollution.”
The hearing is expected to be continued to March 11, where the commission could ask questions, deliberate and even make a decision — or continue the process once again to a future date.[262][263]
February 19, 2016: 'High Stakes' to Premier at Poncan Theatre on May 6
Beverly Bryant reported at Ponca City Now on February 19, 2016 that "High Stakes: The Life and Times of E. W. Marland," a documentary filmed by Scott Swearingen and Steve Herrin and funded by a grant of $100,000 from the Marland Estate Foundation will premiere May 6 at The Poncan Theatre. “The idea for this film started at a table conversation at a Historic Preservation Conference in Perry a few years ago,” said David Keathly, director of the Marland Mansion. “The project was completely funded with no city funds used. We have been working on it over a year.” Keathly said the film's debut on May 6 will be for donors, members of the Marland Estate board, and those who acted in the film. These will be the VIP celebrities for the red-carpet event. Public tickets also will be for sale and a matinee will be shown for the public following the premiere.[264]
The title for the documentary comes from E. W. Marland's love of playing poker. A first rate player, Marland learned poker as a fraternity member at the Sigma Chi fraternity house at the University of Michigan in 1891. Marland loved gambling intensely and was a fair loser and a modest winner. At Ann Arbor Marland never gave the impression of excitability while playing but was alert though silent. John Joseph Mathews recounts in his book "Life and Death of an Oilman: The Career of E.W. Marland" that one time a sharpshooter from another part of town came to the Sigma Chi house to play. Very soon he had chips piled before him on the table. Then suddenly he stood up, beamed on the others and said, "I guess I'll check out." As he raked in the money from the banker in exchange for his chips, he said with a smug smile, "The fact is, boys, I need the money." Marland showed shocked surprise on his usually unreadable face. The expression of incredulity impressed the others when the sharpshooter had gone with all the money and they bantered Marland. At each game thereafter someone at some time usually after winning a large pot would say, "The fact is, boys, I need the money."[265]
After Marland struck oil in Ponca City and had begun to build his oil empire, it is said E. W. and his lieutenants and friends would spend many a night playing poker. EW, Lew Wentz, George Miller, and Bill McFadden would play poker at the Arcade Hotel until daybreak, trading gossip and oil patch rumors. After EW struck it rich, there were hundreds of private poker parties in Ponca City every year. Sometimes these were lavish affairs at the Arcade Hotel or at some private home. Marland continued to love playing poker and played with deep concentration, except that now he could afford to lose or to win as much as seventy-five thousand dollars. When Marland built his "Palace on the Praiarie" he made sure to include a secret "Poker Room" in the first floor of the Marland Mansion, in a room next to the safe and the bootleg liquor vault.[266]
February 12, 2016: Is Warren Buffett Planning to Buy Phillips 66?
James Detar writes in Investors Business Daily that Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, has been loading up on shares of Phillips 66 and now owns about 14% of the company, fueling speculation that Buffett may buy the oil refiner outright. According to S&P Global Markets Intelligence analyst Cathy Seifert investors are reminded of Buffett's transactions that led up to his $9.7 billion acquisition of lubricant and chemical maker Lubrizol in 2011. “He bought an equity stake and then bought the company,” Seifert told IBD adding that she doesn’t have knowledge of a specific plan by Buffett to buy Phillips 66, but his purchases of its stock follow a well-trodden path. “You have to think what his patterns tend to be,” Seifert said. “This move lately was an opportunity to, No. 1, diversify holdings and, No. 2, gain opportunistic exposure to the space at an attractive price. It’s a function of diversification and a long-term macro view of an opportunity to get in.”
If Buffett is planning an acquisition of Phillips 66, it would likely be among his largest takeovers ever. Phillips 66 has a market cap of $40 billion. Last month, Berkshire closed its $37.2 billion purchase of Precision Castparts, its biggest acquisition to date. Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland was asked about the big Berkshire purchases on a Jan. 29 earnings call but only said, “We don’t comment on conversations with shareholders.” Berkshire didn’t respond to requests for comment.[267]
February 10, 2016: Phillips May Cut Production at Ponca Refinery as Phillips Dumps Crude at Cushing Below Cost
Reuters reported on February 10, 2016 that Phillips 66 dumped crude for immediate delivery in Cushing, Oklahoma on February 10, 2016, sparking speculation that the move reflected advance warning of looming output cuts amid sluggish winter demand and record inventories. It was unclear how many barrels Phillips sold, but three traders confirmed at least two deals traded at negative $2.50 and $2.75 a barrel. These deals drew notice among traders, who said the prices were distressed and the timing unusual. U.S. Energy Information Administration data on February 10, 2016 showed inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub hit a record 64.7 million barrels last week - just 8 million barrels shy of its theoretical limit - stoking concerns that tanks may overflow in coming weeks. According to Reuters midwest refiners ran their facilities near full tilt for much of January, averaging more than 96 percent capacity utilization compared with just under 91 percent last year, inundating the region with stocks of gasoline and distillates in what one trader described the market as a "bloodbath."
Cuts in Midwest refinery runs mean more crude oil gets shoved into storage. Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for U.S. crude futures, already has a record amount of inventories, pushing oil prices near the lowest level since 2003. Sellers were discounting crude for delivery in March by as much as $2.63 a barrel compared to April, the steepest so-called one-month contango since February 2011. “It’s like this death spiral,” said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates LLC. “You have run cuts, crude inventories increase, the crude price gets hammered, and then the margin eventually gets restored, enabling refiners to pick up runs and convert the crude surplus into a product surplus, then you repeat the process.”
On February 9, 2016, sources said that Valero Energy Corp was planning to cut gasoline production at its 180,000 bpd Memphis, Tennessee, refinery by about 25 percent. Valero cut runs at its Memphis, Tennessee, refinery as margins weakened on rising gasoline supply, according to two people familiar with plant operations. PBF’s Toledo refinery reduced the amount of crude it’s processing to about 150,000 barrels a day, from its maximum capacity of 160,000 barrels. Sources said Delta Air Lines' Monroe Energy refinery near Philadelphia had decided to cut output by 10 percent at its 185,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery due to economic reasons.
If Phillips 66 does cut refinery runs, it would be the third refiner to capitulate amid record gasoline inventories and negative margins. "Midwest margins turned negative after operating expenses last week and forward cracks suggest margins will remain in the doldrums for some time," said Dominic Haywood, an analyst for Energy Aspects in London. "Ponca pulls crude from Cushing and likely uses Cushing tanks for storage or blending. You need somewhere to put the crude if you're cutting runs."[268][269][270]
February 10, 2016: ValueWalk Analyzes the Relation Between ConocoPhillips' Stock Buybacks and the Dividend Cut
ConocoPhillips recent dividend cut from $0.74 to $0.25 per share was a jolt to many investors. On February 10, 2016 720 Global published an analysis about the hidden damage buybacks impose on shareholders and the economy as well as the questionable motives driving most of these decisions and, using ConocoPhillips as an example, writes that "buybacks promote higher short-term stock prices that serve largely only to benefit [management's] own compensation. The costs of these actions are felt later as the future growth for the respective companies, employees and entire economy are robbed."
COP consistently paid a dividend since 1990 and during that 25 year period the dividend was increased 19 times. COP has never decreased their dividend until now and even during the financial crisis of 2008/09, COP raised its dividend despite the price of crude oil dropping $100 per barrel. But since 2011, COP repurchased 251 million shares representing roughly 20% of their shares outstanding, at an approximate cost of $14.168 billion. According to 720 Global had ConocoPhillips' management and the board of directors not engaged in repurchases, COP would still have the $14.168 billion spent on buybacks since 2011, which could be used to support the $0.74 per share dividend for almost 5 years. "More importantly, the company could be in the envious position of employing the capital to buy assets that are being liquidated by other companies at cents on the dollar. Shareholders are suffering in many ways from the abuses of management in years past and will continue to do so for years to come."
"Fortunately for James Mulva, COP’s CEO during the 2011/2012 stock buyback era, his overly generous compensation is beyond COP’s ability to reclaim. Mr. Mulva retired in June of 2012 after repurchasing approximately 20% of the company’s outstanding shares. Upon retirement he received a $260 million golden parachute from the company. That was on top of $141 million in total compensation he received in 2011. The board of directors and shareholders must have been enamored with Mulva’s performance despite poor earnings trends in his final 2 years. From 2011 to 2012 the company earnings per share fell 25% from $8.97/share to $6.72/share. Had the board factored in the effect of buybacks on earnings per share when determining Mr. Mulva’s compensation, they would have realized that earnings per share were actually 40% lower at $5.37 per share."[271]
720 Global writes that this isn’t the first time Mulva put himself before the interests of others. "In January [2009], CEO James J. Mulva cut 4% of the Houston oil giant’s workforce," wrote Jena McGregor and Nanette Byrnes in Bloomberg Businessweek. "Two months later the company announced that Mulva had earned $29 million in 2008, on top of nearly $100 million he had made in the two prior years. In Bartlesville, Okla., where a chunk of the layoffs hit, many are still looking for work. The fact that Mulva took a $10 million stock grant in 2008 instead of the $38 million he got the year before hasn’t been much comfort to former employees there, some of whom lost their homes."[272]
February 9, 2015: Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. Continues to Grow in Bartlesville
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on February 9, 2016 that Steve Satterlee, facility and operations manager for Chevron Phillips’ Bartlesville location, told the Bartlesville Rotary Club that Chevron Phillips employees 5,000 people worldwide, with approximately 200 employees at the Research Center in west Bartlesville. In May 2015, the company held a groundbreaking at the Bartlesville facility for a new test pilot plant that will examine products before they are sent to larger facilities along the Gulf Coast. Satterlee said the pilot plant should be operational later this year. “This is a significant investment in the infrastructure in Bartlesville,” Satterlee said. “We plan on being here for a long time.” Satterlee added that the company continues to do very well and has not been greatly impacted by the dramatic drop in oil prices. “We have good assets, good partners across the world and we will always be here (in Bartlesville)."[273]
February 4, 2016: Hundreds Condemn Phillips 66's Santa Maria Rail Project in Public Hearings
The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported on February 4, 2016 that hundreds of local residents and others from around California attended a public hearing to urge the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission to reject Phillips 66 Co.’s request to receive crude oil by rail at its Santa Maria Refinery. For several hours, planning commissioners heard appeals from 83 people — a combination of residents from San Luis Obispo County, and northern and southern California, as well as elected officials — all urging they reject a proposal to build a 1.3-mile spur with five parallel tracks from the main rail line to the Nipomo Mesa refinery, an unloading facility at the refinery and on-site pipelines. About 390 people had grabbed speaker comment slips as of Thursday afternoon, including those who spoke that day. Public comment will continue Friday and possibly to a future date, depending on how many of the speakers turn out. None of the 83 public speakers on Thursday spoke in favor of the Phillips 66 proposal. San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx was among the elected officials or their representatives who urged denial of the project. “Whether it’s five or three trains, our city would be placed at unique risk to this project,” she said.
At lunch, about 600 people from around the state rallied across the street from the hearing to protest the project. Some supporters were seen too, with green “Protect Jobs” signs, but they were far outnumbered by opponents with “Stop Oil Trains Now” posters and signs proclaiming, “We Risk, They Benefit” and “Invest in Solar.”
Representatives from Phillips 66 urged the commissioners to approve an alternate plan to allow three trains a week instead of five. “The three-train-per-week project is now our proposed project,” said Jocelyn Thompson of Alston & Bird LLP. It “eliminates all of the Class 1 impacts with respect to onsite activities,” she added, referring to the highest level of negative impacts to air quality and biological resources referenced in the project’s final Environmental Impact Report. The county staff report states that three trains a week — or 150 a year — would reduce the significant toxic air emissions to no longer be considered a “Class 1 significant impact.” However, the county’s planning staff said other significant impacts still would harm the environment even with three trains per week rather than five: construction of the facilities would still disturb environmentally sensitive habitat, and emissions of diesel particulate matter would still remain a “Class 1” impact.
Thompson added that if the project is denied, crude oil will still come into California by rail and eventually reach the refinery, albeit by a different route: Oil would arrive in the Central Valley by train and then be trucked about 110 miles through San Luis Obispo County to Santa Maria, where it would be pumped into a pipeline and sent to the refinery. “It’s impermissible for you to say that you’re going to deny the project because there’s a train on the tracks,” she said. “The train will come to the San Joaquin Valley and you will be dealing with trucks.”
When asked during a break if layoffs could happen if the project is denied, Phillips 66 spokesman Dennis Nuss said, “We’re going to wait and see what is going to happen with the process.”[274]
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, two days before the hearing started, Phillip 66 attorneys proposed to reduce the number of trains unloaded per week from five to three (or 250 trains per year to 150). This alternative would decrease the toxic air emissions impact by lowering the cancer risk to just below SLO’s Air Pollution Control District’s threshold, according to county staff. Other environmental impacts, however, remain a concern. Public interest in the project is so great that planning commission chair Don Campbell decided to hold a third hearing date for continued public testimony and staff presentations on February 25. (The commission is expected to continue the meeting on March 11.) So far, nearly 25,000 written comments have been submitted. Of those, just 150 support the project.[275]
February 3, 2016: ConocoPhillips Posts Big Loss, Slashes Dividend
Business Insider reported on February 3, 2016 that ConocoPhillips slashed its quarterly dividend from $0.74 to $0.25 and posted an adjusted earnings-per-share loss of $0.65 for the fourth quarter. "While we don't know how far commodity prices will fall, or the duration of the downturn, we believe it's prudent to plan for lower prices for a longer period of time. The actions we have announced will improve net cash flow by $4.4 billion in 2016," said ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance. "The decision to reduce the dividend was a difficult one. The dividend has been, and will continue to be, a top priority. We still intend to provide a competitive dividend, while significantly lowering the breakeven price for the company and substantially reducing the level of borrowing in 2016."[276]
The company's net loss widened to $3.5 billion, or $2.78 per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec.31, from $39 million, or 3 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding a $2.7 billion non-cash impairment charge and other items, loss was 90 cents per share, bigger than the average analyst estimate of 65 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. ConocoPhillips lowered its 2016 capital expenditure target by 17 percent to $6.4 billion, and its operating cost forecast by 9 percent to $7 billion.[277]
- See also ConocoPhillips Ain't What It Used to Be January 14, 2016
February 3, 2016: Ponca City ConocoPhillips Retired Employees to Meet At Pioneer Technology Center
The Ponca City News reported on February 3, 2016 that all local Conoco, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 retirees are encouraged to attend the upcoming general meeting of the ConocoPhillips Retiree Association on February 8, 2016 at Pioneer Technology Center. Andy Wachtel, CEO of the AllianceHealth hospitals in Ponca City and Blackwell will talk about the local hospitals as well as discuss how some of the national trends in health care impact the hospital industry and retirees as health care consumers.[278]
- See also Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland Wants to Find a Company to Lease the North and South Towers August 13, 2014
January 29, 2016: Ponca Refinery Earns $42 Million for Phillips 66 in Q4, Continues in Top Slot as Phillips' Most Profitable Refinery
Phillips 66 reported their fourth quarter earnings for 2015 on January 29, 2016 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show Ponca Refinery continues as the most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. Ponca Refinery earned $42 million for Phillips in the fourth quarter of 2015 for an annualized profit of $166 million. Phillips' Sweeney Refinery in Old Ocean, TX and Alliance Refinery in Belle Chasse, LA tied as the second most profitable refineries with $39 million in earnings for an annualized profit of $157 million. The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the fourth quarter of 2015 are:[279]
- Ponca Refinery - $166 million
- Sweeny Refinery - $157 million
- Alliance Refinery - $157 million
- Lake Charles Refinery - $152 million
- Bayway Refinery - $138 million
See Appendix 4 for detailed calculations:
January 29, 2016: After 40 Year Ban, US Starts Exporting Crude Oil
CNN reported on January 29, 2016 that just weeks after Congress lifted a 40-year ban on exporting oil, the first shipments of the black stuff left U.S. ports for Europe. "The fact that producers have free access to the global market will make it easier for U.S. supply to respond to disruptions around the world," said Jason Borduff, a former energy adviser to President Obama who is currently a professor at Columbia University. There are also logistical hurdles keeping U.S. oil from straying too far from home. Due to the longstanding export ban, America's Gulf Coast doesn't currently have the equipment in place needed to load the giant supertankers that other countries typically use to ship oil long distances, according to Nilofar Saidi, a crude oil market analyst at ClipperData. Smaller ships can be used on voyages to Latin America and Europe, but aren't ideal for far-flung places like East Asia. "Given the market situation today, there's going to be caution about large-scale infrastructure investments," Borduff said. U.S. refiners have spent heavily on upgrades in recent years that allow them to process the ultra-light crude being pumped from U.S. shale fields. That means it probably makes more economic sense to leave American oil at home for now.[280]
The American Journal of Transportation reported on September 9, 2015 that Phillips 66’s investments in storage and pipeline infrastructure in southeastern Texas give the company an “option on exports” should the decades-old domestic crude export ban be lifted, Chief Executive Officer Greg Garland told analysts. “I do think people will make investments to support export infrastructure and we want to do that too,” Garlands aid during a webcast presentation at the Barclays CEO Energy-Power conference in New York. In 2014 Phillips 66 acquired a 7.1 million barrel crude and refined products terminal in Beaumont, Texas, that Garland said was “really an option on crude exports.” The terminal has two Aframax-capable docks and a barge dock. It also has rail and truck offloading facilities. Phillips is a 25 percent partner in two Energy Transfer Partners pipeline projects that aim to move North Dakota Bakken and Canadian heavy crude to Sunoco Logistics Partners’ storage terminal in nearby Nederland by late 2016.[281]
Reuters reported on April 11, 2014 that after securing an export license in 2013, Phillips is now exporting oil to Canada. A Phillipsspokesman declined to say where in Canada its exports are headed and in what volume and did not disclose if the oil will reach its destination via rail or barges. "As a matter of practice, Phillips 66 does not comment on commercial activity," said spokesman Dennis Nuss. The United States does not allow exports of its own oil, but makes exceptions such as barrels going to Canada and re-exports of foreign oil.[282]
January 26, 2016: Phillips 66 Helps City of Wood River Pump Water After Flooding at Illinois 143
The Riverbender reported on January 26, 2016 that during the post-Christmas torrential rains, water flowed near Wood River over the area at Illinois 143 near Illinois Route 255 and caused it to be closed for two-plus weeks. City Manager Jim Schneider says Phillips 66 helped immensely with the water situation. “Melissa [Erker] called me and asked how Phillips 66 could help and they sent a crew over there with pumps for a few days,” said Schneider. “Our city employees and IDOT also did a good job working with the area. Without Phillips 66 assisting, the water would have been over the road for more days," Schneider added. The city manager is hopeful that Phillips 66 and IDOT both will work with the city to find a permanent solution to the problem with water spilling out to the road on both sides of Illinois 143 near Illinois 255.[283]
January 25, 2016: Phillips Reports Excess Emissions at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips on January 25 reported excess carbon monoxide from the crude topping unit feed heater, according to a filing with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.[284]
January 25, 2016: San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning Recommends Denial of Phillips 66 Rail Project at Santa Maria Refinery
KSBY reported on January 25, 2016 that the San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning and Building is recommending to planning commissioners that they deny a proposal by Phillips 66 to bring in crude oil to its Santa Maria Refinery by rail. According to the staff report the project would be detrimental to health, safety and welfare of the public, it includes significant and unavoidable environmental impacts including a cancer risk to nearby residents, and it has no benefits that outweigh the risk to the environment.[285]
According to the staff report from the San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning and Building: "Significant local, regional, and statewide concern has been expressed throughout the various phases of the Project including land use incompatibilities, toxic air emissions adjacent to the project site and adjacent to the UPRR mainline; risk of derailment, spill, and explosion in areas adjacent to the mainline; threat of impact to agricultural, biological, cultural, and water resources due to spill, fire, and explosion along the mainline; and, inadequate fire and emergency response services along UPRR mainline throughout the state in the event of a spill, fire or explosion. The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) concluded that the Project, for components only on the project site, would result in two significant and unavoidable impacts (Class I impacts) stemming from diesel particulate matter emissions and toxic air emissions generated by increased locomotive activity at the Santa Maria Refinery site."[286]
The recommendation comes a week before a public hearing February 4-5 on whether to grant permits allowing the company to build the 41,000 barrels per day project first proposed in 2013. Phillips proposed the rail project because California oil output is shrinking and the company wanted another source of crude. The company had hoped to start up in 2014, but environmental reviews pushed final consideration of permits to 2015 and then this year. "We understand that there are concerns about the project and we look forward to addressing questions" in the review, said Phillips spokesman Dennis Nuss.[287]
January 24, 2016: Borger Refinery to Produce Above Average Emissions Over the Next Month
Nasdaq reported on January 24, 2016 that Phillips 66's Borger Refinery will emit above-average emissions starting January 24, 2016 due to scheduled maintenance. "Unit 40 FCCU (Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit) Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) is scheduled for maintenance," the refinery said in a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. "The FCCU is not scheduled to go down. During maintenance there may be high opacity and particulates released from the stack." Excess emissions could occur over the next month until February 24, 2016.[288]
January 15, 2016: Phillips 66 Fined $324,000 for Safety Violations at Ferndale Refinery
The Bellingham Herald reported on January 14, 2015 that Phillips 66 was hit with a $324,000 fine by the state of Washington for workplace violations regarding fire and hazardous chemical safety at Ferndale Refinery. The refinery received the fine for violations that took place in 2014 and were not corrected, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. The 2014 citations are under appeal, but state law requires employers to correct hazards even if the violations are under appeal, according to L&I. The refinery was cited for three violations, each carrying a $108,000 fine.
Two violations involve the refinery’s firefighting and fire suppression systems. According to the state agency, Phillips 66 did not inspect or follow recognized and generally accepted engineering practices for the firefighting water tank or the buried firefighting water distribution piping. The company also failed to address the potential loss of firefighting water, according to the report.
The third violation involves not consulting industry material before writing a policy about chemical piping. Following the company’s policies potentially allowed workers to be exposed to hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas, and explosive flammable hydrocarbon vapors at much higher concentrations than considered safe. Employers in high-hazard chemical industries are expected to make sure that their internal policies and guidelines reflect current good engineering practices across those industries and that they meet local regulations, which may be stricter than national regulations.
Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery spokesman Jeff Callender said company officials were disappointed by the announcement from the agency and believe there is a misunderstanding related to the citations. They plan to continue to work cooperatively with the agency through the appeals process. “The safety of the community, the environment and our people are of the utmost importance to our company and these priorities guide our efforts in everything we do,” said Callender.[289][290]
January 14, 2016: Analysts Say ConocoPhillips Ain't What It Used To Be
As ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 come up on the fourth anniversary of the separation of the original ConocoPhillips into an upstream company (ConocoPhillips) and a downstream company (Phillips 66), "The Traveling Investor (TTI)" wrote at Seeking Alpha on January 14, 2016 that the fortunes of the two companies couldn't be more different. "With oil prices down the drain, it's not surprising to see ConocoPhillips' stock tank by more than 50% from its 2014 high," writes TTI. "It is apparent that the spin off created value for pre-spin off shareholders, as Phillips 66's stock has since more than doubled and ConocoPhillips's shares increased by more than 50% before the collapse of oil. Investors that held on to both companies would have done fairly well. However, those who only holds ConocoPhillips shares today no longer benefit from the safety of an integrated company." According to TTI, today's ConocoPhillips is susceptible to macro movements that plague every other exploration and production oil company. However, the management has not made enough changes after the spin-off to ensure that the company can safely withstand the volatility of the commodity market.[291]
According to "Foundation Investing (FI)", things could get worse for ConocoPhillips and there is a a good chance that the dividend will be cut. "The downside of this split is that it made the company vulnerable to falling oil prices. Integrated oil companies benefit from their downstream businesses because refiners see higher profits when the price of oil falls, acting as a kind of hedge on lower energy prices," writes FI. "ConocoPhillips currently has roughly $25 billion in debt, up $2.5 billion year over year. Moody's recently put the company's debt on review for downgrade, citing weak conditions and impaired cash flows. There comes a point when a company is confronted with the choice of either cutting its cash distributions or causing possible long-term and irreparable damage to its business - and that moment is not far off for ConocoPhillips."[292]
January 8, 2016: Phillips 66 Makes a Difference in STEM Education in Ponca City Classrooms
The Ponca City News reported on January 8, 2016 that Phillips 66 has made a donation to purchase science equipment to support environmental science at East and West Middle Schools and for student supplies to be used during their “Engage” projects to support students' future reading skills, creative thinking, collaboration, critical thinking, integration of technology, global competence and problem solving.
The donation is also being used to help fund the Robotics program at Ponca City High School. "Ken York and Ed Latimer have kept the program going as they teach the students the concepts of programming and engineering. Some of our newer mentors, Adam Riggs and Chance Randall, are actually graduates of the program and are working or continuing their education in STEM fields," says Linda Broome, the sponsor for Robotics at the high school. "Our plan for the new money from Phillips 66 is to remodel our lab, to begin paying our mentors as lay coaches, and to expand our program into the middle schools. We are very thankful for Phillips 66 and their support of this program.”
“The Ponca City School district is very appreciative of the monetary support we receive from Phillips 66,” said Barbara Cusick, Executive Director of Curriculum for the Ponca City Public School district. “Teachers and students have more opportunities due to the generosity of Phillips 66 and its employees, serving as mentors to the students.”[293]
"We have to have exemplary schools in our communities so that our employees choose to live in those communities," said Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland in 2014. "We want to make sure they have good options. We are particularly interested in encouraging students. We want them to finish school, get their high school degree and go on to college, if that is what they want to do. We want them to be interested in science, technology, engineering and math.”[294]
January 6, 2016: Ferndale Refinery to Reduce Emissions Five Percent Annually Under New State Rules
The Bellingham Herald reported on January 6, 2016 that Washington state’s largest industrial emitters would be required to reduce carbon emissions by 5 percent every three years, under a proposed rule from the Department of Ecology. Phillips 66's Ferndale likely would be included in the first wave of facilities required to meet the reductions under the rule, as would Puget Sound Energy’s generating stations at Ferndale and Sumas. The proposed rule’s starting thresholds are based on average emissions from 2012 to 2015. “It’s important that we act now to protect our water supplies, infrastructure and economy for future generations,” said Ecology Director Maia Bellon. The agency has scheduled four public hearings. It expects to finalize a rule by summer.[295]
January 6, 2016: Borger Refinery to Emit Excess Gases Above Permit Level
Nasdaq reported on January 6, 2016 that Phillips 66's Borger Refinery will emit excess gases for six hours or less as it undergoes a maintenance procedure. "Unit 40 Boiler is scheduled to switch from the Electric Driven FD Fan to the Turbine Driven FD Fan," said a filing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. "During the switch the emissions are projected to be above the permit limit."[296]
December 30, 2015: Spectra Energy Shuts Platte Pipeline to Wood River Refinery because of Flooding
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on December 30, 2015 that Spectra Energy has shut its Platte pipeline which connects to the Wood River Refinery in the Metro East due to flooding along the Mississippi River. The pipeline is the second crude system delivering into the Wood River Refinery to shut as a result of flooding following severe weather throughout parts of the Midwest. Enbridge previously confirmed its 200,000 barrel-per-day Ozark pipeline, which runs from Cushing, Okla., to Wood River, shut due to the flooding.[297]
December 28, 2015: Power Outage at Refined Products Distribution Rack at Ponca Refinery
Reuters reported on December 28, 2015 that storms caused a power outage at Phillips Refined Products Distribution Rack at Ponca Refinery and the company has not yet provided a timeline for a return to normal operations according to a source familiar with the matter.[298]
December 28, 2015: Phillips Reports Excess Carbon Monoxide at Ponca Refinery
On December 28, Phillips Corp reported excess carbon monoxide emissions and unit upsets due to power blips during a winter storm at its Ponca City, Oklahoma refinery, according to a filing with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality that was made public on Wednesday. [299]
December 28, 2015: Phillips Reports Emissions at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported excess carbon monoxide from the fluid catalytic cracking unit regenerator on December 28 and excess carbon monoxide from a reactor preheater on December 30 at its Ponca City, Oklahoma refinery.[300]
December 25, 2015: Phillips Donates $15,000 to Northern Oklahoma College, $1.7 Million to Bartlesville Public Schools
The Ponca City News reported on December 25, 2015 that the Phillips 66's Ponca Refinery donated $15,000 to the Northern Oklahoma College Foundation for financial support of the Process Technology (PTEC) Program at Northern Oklahoma College (NOC} located in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. The program support is to enhance the curriculum and to provide “hands-on” experience for the students in preparation for work in operations. "The Foundation greatly appreciates the generous Phillips 66 donation," said Sheri Snyder, NOC vice president for development and executive director for the NOC Foundation. “Our longtime partnership has provided many educational opportunities that continue to enrich the lives of NOC students. Tim Seidel, Ponca City refinery manager presented the donation to NOC president Dr. Cheryl Evans.[301]
On August 13, 2014, Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland announced a grant to Bartlesville Public Schools of $1.7 million, over 100 times the amount donated to Northern Oklahoma College, to build Phillips 66 Innovation Labs at Bartlesville High School, Madison Middle School and Central Middle School. The labs are intended to enhance local education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Garland said that the donation is just one way Phillips 66 can demonstrate its commitment to Bartlesville and the employee base here. “Bartlesville is so unique. You have such a cadre of highly-educated people here in this town that are willing to go back (to the schools), and I think the STEM labs will create opportunities for people to go in there and encourage people in science, technology, engineering and math,” Garland told the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. “I think that education is one of the keys. We have to have exemplary schools in our communities so that our employees choose to live in those communities. We want to make sure they have good options. We are particularly interested in encouraging students. We want them to finish school, get their high school degree and go on to college, if that is what they want to do. We want them to be interested in science, technology, engineering and math.”[302]
On August 13, 2015 Ponca City resident Hugh Pickens spoke with Phillips 66 Chief Executive Officer Greg Garland after a forum in Bartlesville sponsored by the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce and asked Garland what it would take for Ponca City to qualify for a grant from Phillips 66 to promote science in the Ponca City School System, like the grant of $1.7 million that Phillips 66 gave to Bartlesville Public Schools in 2014 to create new innovative laboratories on three school campuses in Bartlesville to support science, technology, engineering and math. Garland responded that he would look into the matter.[303]
December 21, 2015: Emergency Responders Extinguish Fire at Ferndale Refinery
Reuters reported on December 21, 23015 that a fire occurred at Phillips 66's refinery in Ferndale, Washington. "Emergency responders from Phillips 66 immediately extinguished the fire. There were no injuries and the incident is under investigation," a spokesperson for Phillips 66 said. The company did not say whether the fire had impacted operations, or which units were impacted by the fire.[304]
December 16, 2015: Phillips Donates $30,000 to Billings Museum
The Billings Gazette reported on December 16, 2015 that Phillips 66 Pipeline donated $30,000 to the Wise Wonders Children's Museum in Billings to improve and expand the downtown space. "We are so excited to get underway with renovations to provide improved facilities and programming," said Kelli Toohill, the museum's executive director. The project will add a multi-use classroom, additional work and exhibition space, and an ADA-accessible family bathroom. The donation will increase the museum space by 50 percent.[305]
December 16, 2015: Phillips Billings Refinery Donates $80,000 to Billings Park
The Billings Gazette reported on December 16, 2015 that the Phillips Refinery in Billings donated $80,000 to the Yellowstone Kelly project to enhance a popular park and honor U.S. veteran Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly, U.S. Army scout and soldier, who died 87 years ago at his ranch in Paradise, California and was a close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt and Gen. Nelson Miles. The plan is to erect a historical interpretive panels, seating, walking trails and a paved turnaround big enough to accommodate buses. The Yellowstone Kelly project would make this forlorn site a gem of the city park system. Deputy Mayor Jani McCall noted at the Phillips 66 celebration that Swords Park averages about 170,000 visitors annually. In addition to Kelly’s grave, the park is rich in history. The Rims were used by Native Americans and later Boothill Cemetery was situated below the cliffs.[306]
December 15, 2015: Ferndale Refinery Donates $700,000 for Phillips 66 Soccer Park
The Bellingham Herald reported on December 15, 2015 that Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery is donating $700,000, the largest known gift the Ferndale refinery has made in Whatcom County, for two new artificial turf fields, lights and a scoreboard for Northwest Soccer Park in Bellingham, Washington. The gift comes with an agreement that includes renaming the facility Phillips 66 Soccer Park. Funding for the project was put together over the course of a few years. Phillips 66 was motivated to make its large donation because the project improves the community, said Rich Harbison, Phillip 66’s Ferndale refinery manager. The company said previous work with Whatcom Sports and Recreation were positive experiences. “It gave us confidence that they could hit the goals they set for this project,” Harbison said. The first soccer fields were installed in the late 1980s when the county began renting the area to what was then the Whatcom Soccer Commission. Participation grew about 15 percent a year, so the soccer organization added fields, hitting its current size about 15 years ago, said Chet Lackey, who is on the board of Whatcom Sports & Recreation. The nonprofit organization also operates Bellingham Sportsplex and Civic Complex.[307]
December 15, 2015: Phillips Makes Major Upgrade to Billings Refinery
The Helena Independent Record reported on December 15, 2015 that Phillips 66 is spending several hundred million dollars on improvements to its Billings refinery on the "Vacuum Improvement Project" which will allow the refinery to process more heavy Canadian crude oil. The project, which employs an average of 200 construction workers and will peak at 350, will continue into 2017. The refinery will continue to operate throughout the construction period and the project will not increase the refinery's capacity.
“The Billings refinery currently processes a mixture of Canadian heavy, high-sulfur crude oil plus domestic high-sulfur and low-sulfur crude oils, all delivered by pipeline and truck. This project will allow us to handle up to 100 percent heavy Canadian crude,” Phillips 66 officials said. "While it’s technically possible for us to run Bakken crude oil, it is unlikely given the economics."[308]
The Billings Refinery has a crude oil processing capacity of 58 MBD and processes a mixture of Canadian heavy, high-sulfur crude oil plus domestic high-sulfur and low-sulfur crude oil, all delivered by pipeline. Its facilities include fluid catalytic cracking and hydrodesulfurization units. A delayed coker converts heavy, high-sulfur residue into higher-value light oils. The refinery produces a high percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline, aviation and diesel fuels, as well as fuel-grade petroleum coke.
December 11, 2015: Deal to End Oil Export Ban in Sight
The Hill reported on December 11, 2015 that an end to the ban on U.S. crude oil exports appears increasingly likely to be included in the sweeping fiscal deal being negotiated in Congress. Lifting the decades-old export ban has been a top energy priority for Republicans for more than a year, and the GOP is eyeing the must-pass government funding and tax policy bills as prime places to address the issue. “It clearly is an item that [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell and Republicans are salivating over,” Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told The Huffington Post. “It would be a windfall to the industry. We don’t know how much some have estimated — $20 [billion], $30 billion a year in profits if they are allowed to do this.” Sen. Barbara Mikulski (Md.), top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, called the GOP’s latest offer and its oil exports provision “lavish.” Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), Mikulski’s House counterpart, said she’d be willing to accept oil exports only if “everything that’s bad, all the poison pills” were taken out of the spending bill, including restrictions on Syrian refugees and on financial regulations.[309]
When asked about their position on the end to the oil export ban by Hugh Pickens in town hall meetings in Ponca City, both Oklahoma Senator James Lankford and US Congressman Frank Lucas said they were strong supporters of the campaign to end the ban.
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford held a one hour a town hall meeting at the Ponca City Civic Center on September 1, 2015 that was attended by over 110 Ponca City citizens. After discussing the Iran Nuclear Deal, the federal deficit, defense spending, and the presidential race, Lankford took questions from the audience.[310] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Senator Lankford about his position on the lifting of the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. "The Ponca City Refinery is the largest refiner in Oklahoma and the refinery here in Ponca City is the most profitable and best run of Phillip 66's fifteen worldwide refineries," said Pickens. "Where do you stand on lifting the 40-year ban on the export of crude oil from the United States?" Senator Lankford noted that there were only two countries in the world where there was a ban on the export of crude oil. One of them is Iran and the other is the United States said Lankford. Lankford said he was in favor of free markets and he thought that lifting the ban would be beneficial to the United States. Senator Lankford said he planned to vote in favor of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil.
US Congressman Frank Lucas held a town hall meeting in the Civic Center of Ponca City on August 28, 2015 to discuss issues with interested citizens. Lucas discussed the Iran Nuclear deal, the budget deficit, and the presidential race and then took questions from the audience.[311] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Congressman Lucas where he stood on the question of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. Congressman Lucas said that he was strongly in favor of lifting the ban, that he expected the bill to come before Congress later this year, and that he would vote in favor of lifting the ban.
December 8, 2015: Sweeny Fractionator One Is Now Operational
Businesswire reported on December 8, 2015 that Phillips 66 has begun operations at its new 100,000 barrels-per-day (BPD) natural gas liquids (NGL) fractionator located at the company's Sweeny Complex in Old Ocean, Texas. Sweeny Fractionator One supplies purity ethane and liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) to the petrochemical industry and heating markets. “The startup of Sweeny Fractionator One is a significant milestone in the growth of our Midstream business,” said Bob Herman, executive vice president, Midstream for Phillips 66. “We plan to add more capacity in the future to supply our customers LPGs based on affordable North American natural gas liquids.” Sweeny Fractionator One and the Freeport LPG Export Terminal represent a combined capital investment of more than $3 billion. The new assets are creating more than 70 full-time jobs in addition to 5,500 construction jobs.[312]
December 4, 2015: T. Boone Pickens Says He Could Have Taken Over Phillips 66 in 1984
David Benoit reported on December 4, 2015 at the Wall Street Journal that T. Boone Pickens, in a podcast with Carl Icahn, says he recently met with all his old advisors and they determined he could have taken over Phillips 66 in 1984 if he hadn’t been so afraid of running a proxy fight at the time. Pickens made his name fighting oil companies where he argued the stocks were undervalued compared to the oil they had in the ground. One of Pickens' biggest targets was Phillips Petroleum. After Pickens made a takeover bid for Phillips 66, Phillips eventually bought Pickens' stock back and announced a restructuring that benefited Phillips stockholders.[313]
Residents of Bartlesville, especially those with employment ties to Phillips Petroleum in the 1980s, recall the hostile takeover bid engineered by Pickens to wrest away control of the company, beginning on Dec. 5, 1984. At that time, Phillips Petroleum was the 10th largest oil company in the nation, with $15 billion in revenues and 29,000 employees worldwide. The community, wholeheartedly supporting “its” company, rallied with citywide rallies, prayer groups, defiant T-shirts and mail campaigns in what became known as the Battle of Bartlesville. Among the fastest-selling Christmas gifts sold locally was a T-shirt emblazoned with a “Boone Busters” slogan and the likeness of Pickens popping up from behind a red circle and slash, much like trademark symbol of the popular movie, “Ghostbusters.” In response to the takeover threat, Phillips’ top management flew to New York in early December to begin round-the-clock meetings with lawyers and other experts who specialized in fending off corporate raiders. Heading the team was Phillips chairman William Douce, president Pete Silas and Glenn Cox, chief financial officer. Just before Christmas on Dec. 23, Phillips announced a major recapitalization program designed to bring maximum benefit to shareholders, particularly Pickens.[314]
November 18, 2015: Phillips 66 Annually Spends $9 Million with Ponca City Diversity Suppliers
The Ponca City News reported on November 18, 2015 that Phillips 66 estimates that Ponca City and area diversity suppliers, through their contract work with Phillips 66, bring more than $9 million into the local economy helping to create and preserve jobs and generate a more stable tax base. According to Tim Mitchell of Northwest Eath Institutes's Choices for Sustainable Living, "a dollar spent at a locally owned store is usuallly spent 6 to 15 times before it leaves the community. From $1, you create $5 to $14 in value within that community."[315]
November 16, 2015: Bartlesville High School Holds Open House for $1.7 Million Phillips 66 Innovation Labs
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on November 16, 2015 that Bartlesville High School held an open house on November 14, 2015 giving Bartlesville residents the chance to see first hand the results of a multimillion dollar expansion of the campus at Bartlesville High School. According to Nathan Thompson, one of the crowning achievements is the Phillips 66 Innovation Labs made possible by a $1.7 million grant from Phillips 66.
BHS sophomore Lukas Cochran said the Innovation Lab will stimulate interest in science, technology and mathematics. “I love it. I like the physical examples. Taking something that you can visualize in your head and figuring out the math behind it,” he said. Cochran said he plans to pursue a career in engineering.
The lab has allowed the high school to add research, computer science and chemistry classes, said Superintendent Dr. Gary Quinn. “Our students can now do their science fair projects in a space that’s designed for that,” he said. Quinn said the administration plans to connect with company employees and retirees to mentor the BHS students. “It will help them to be able to grow even more. … It’s a very exciting thing that we think sets our school district apart from other school districts,” Quinn said.[316]
On August 13, 2015 Ponca City resident Hugh Pickens spoke with Phillips 66 Chief Executive Officer Greg Garland after a forum in Bartlesville sponsored by the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce and asked Garland what it would take for Ponca City to qualify for a grant from Phillips 66 to promote science in the Ponca City School System, like the grant of $1.7 million that Phillips 66 gave to Bartlesville Public Schools in 2014 to create new innovative laboratories on three school campuses in Bartlesville to support science, technology, engineering and math. Garland responded that he would look into the matter.[317]
November 13, 2015: Phillips 66 and National Energy Education Development Host Energy Education Workshop in Ponca City
The Ponca City News reported on November 13, 2015 that Phillips 66 and the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project hosted an energy education workshop on Oct. 29 at the Phillips 66 4th Street Clubhouse for as many as 20 area primary and secondary level teachers from Ponca City, Newkirk, Agra, Ripley, McCord, Choctaw and Oklahoma City. “Phillips 66’s significant investment in energy education addresses the need for high quality energy curriculum and training for today’s teachers and students,” said Mary Spruill, executive director of the NEED Project. “Supporting NEED’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and Workforce Development programming engages students and teachers in a deeper understanding of energy.”[318]
November 9, 2015: Garland Elected Chair of the Finance Committee at American Petroleum Institute
The American Petroleum Institute announced on November 9, 2015 that Phillips CEO Greg Garland has been elected chair of the Finance Committee at the American Petroleum Institute. “Greg Garland’s long record of leadership and unique insight as well as operational knowledge of the industry’s financial landscape will maximize value for our members and provide guidance for API’s strategy. API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 25 million Americans.[319]
November 4, 2015: Ponca City Knows How to Survive Oil Booms and Busts
The Associated Press has a feature story about Ponca City by Tammy Weber published on November 4, 2015 about how life in Ponca City differs from many other places where an economic downturn could be a crisis. "Folks here know it's wise to have a backup plan," writes Weber. "They hunker down and make do. And they believe it's only a matter of time before oil booms again." According to Weber people in Ponca City are following a familiar ritual: returning to jobs or plans they had before the boom arrived about six years ago or making new ones. Some kept side jobs all along or squirreled away money, remembering how suddenly prospects can change and heeding the advice of veteran oilfield workers to save money "because the oilfield won't last forever."
Local oilfield workers are taking lower-paying or multiple jobs. Spouses who might have stayed home are going to work. For example, Brian Cullen, 24, was laid off in May from an oilfield job where he earned more than $175,000 last year. Now he's selling cars in Oklahoma City earning "substantially less." If, a year from now "I'm not making more and still eating away my savings, then it will be getting to the point of starting to worry about things."
Ponca City, like many other cities, has seen a decline in sales tax revenue, but officials built a rainy day fund exceeding 10 percent of the budget. They're also trying to diversify the business base, which includes a tractor supply store, industrial air conditioning manufacturer and a company that refurbishes aircraft parts. Businesses that serve the oil industry are branching out and "not putting all their eggs in one basket," said David Myers, executive director of the Ponca City Development Authority.
Ponca City Mayor Homer Nicholson, who worked at the refinery for 38 years before retiring in 2003, said his hedge was going to auctioneer and real estate school and starting a side business that he still runs. "You just ride the waves up and down," said Nicholson adding that Ponca City's love affair with oil will not end anytime soon. "For those of us in this region, oil is good. We like oil and gas and energy because it has made a lot of people rich."[320]
October 30, 2015: Ponca Refinery Earns $137 million, Continues in Top Slot as Phillips' Most Profitable Refinery
Phillips 66 reported their third quarter earnings for 2015 on October 30, 2015 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show the Ponca City Refinery continues as the most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. The Ponca City Refinery earned $137 million for Phillips in the third quarter of 2015 for an annualized profit of $546 million. Phillips' Wood River Refinery in Roxana, IL was the second most profitable with $109 million in earnings for Phillips in the third quarter of 2015 with an annualized profit of $437 million.[321]
The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the second quarter of 2015 are:[322]
- Ponca City Refinery - $537 million
- Wood River Refinery - $437 million
- Alliance Refinery - $387 million
- Sweeny Refinery - $387 million
- Lake Charles Refinery - $374 million
See Appendix 4 for detailed calculations:
October 28, 2015: County Councillor Calls for Irish Government to Purchase or Subsidize Phillips 66's Whitegate Refinery
The Evening Echo reported on October 28, 2015 that calls are now being made for the Government to step in and purchase Whitegate Refinery – or at least heavily subsidise it – in order to safeguard hundreds of jobs and an asset worth €100m to the local economy. Sinn Fein county councillor and candidate for Cork East in the forthcoming General Election, Pat Buckley, said the news that the refinery could close was “extremely concerning and a potential disaster for Whitegate, East Cork, and the country as a whole”, adding that it of the highest national importance that it now be purchased by the Government. “The refinery contributes €100 million directly into the local economy which is a huge benefit to the whole Cork Harbour area. It also contributes at least 600 spin-off jobs and accounts for half the shipping tonnage in Cork Harbour. If this refinery is not sold and as a possible result ceases to operate after July 2016, Ireland will lose another vital asset. There will be massive implications. We need fuel that is secure, sustainable and affordable for Ireland.”[323]
October 27, 2015: Phillips Reports Startup, Excess Emissions at Ponca Refinery
Phillips reported an unspecified unit startup and carbon monoxide from the fluid catalytic cracking unit regenerator at its Ponca City, Oklahoma refinery[324]
October 23, 2015: LA Times Reports that California Retirees are Taking on Phillips 66
The Los Angeles Times reported on October 23, 2015 that retirees in Nipomo are pooling their resources to fight Phillips plans to build a railroad terminal that would accommodate 260 crude oil-carrying trains a year at Phillips' Santa Maria Refinery.
I imagine these folks are kind of a nightmare for Phillips 66. Ranging in age from 61 to 73, they are highly educated professionals with backgrounds in science, engineering, economics, air pollution and hospital administration, and they are, mostly, retired. Which means they have time. Time for research. Time to make PowerPoint presentations. Time to lobby mayors and city councils and school boards all over San Luis Obispo County, and the rest of the state. Time to appear at club meetings. Time to write newsletters. Time to compile lists of oil train derailments. Time to comb through the 2012 Phillips 66 annual report that described how employing a new "crude-by-rail strategy" would bring cheaper (or "cost-advantaged") oil to its refineries, boosting profits. "We became concerned because we are within shouting distance of their proposed terminal," said Martin Akel, 67, who owns a marketing consulting firm. "We saw a problem that affected health, safety and our very way of life."
"The San Luis Obispo Planning Commission is to take up the matter early next year. After that, the proposal goes to the county Board of Supervisors," writes Robin Abcarian. "No one knows how they will vote. But I'm putting my money on the retirees."[325]
October 23, 2015: Phillips 66's Houston Ship Channel Cross-Channel Connector is the 2015 Trenchless Technology Project of the Year for New Installation
Trenchless Technology reported on October 23, 2015 that Phillips' Houston Ship Channel Cross-Channel Connector took two years to design, plan and permit, with safety being of primary importance. The project required a ton of planning before the first drill rod was in the ground, including precision, pinpoint knowledge of what was already buried in the channel, as well as a plan to keep full circulation during pullback. project is described as a record-setting HDD installation for an 18-in. steel gas pipeline for energy giant Phillips 66, reaching what was once thought to be an unachievable distance of 12,459 ft.
“This was all done in a very congested corridor. … Hitting it on the tips was pretty amazing,” says Tim McGuire, vice president at Michels Directional Crossings at Michels Corp. “There’s only a handful of HDD crossings in the world that have ever been attempted greater than 12,000 ft. There were a lot of challenges related to just that aspect alone.” “We hit them right on the ends,” says Michels Directional Crossings operations manager Jeff Mueller. “The pilot holes matched up perfectly. We really didn’t do the intersect operations because it was self-intersecting, if you want to call it that. As a company, Michels has done more than 200 intersects and [attained]tip-to-tip about a half dozen times. It’s pretty rare.”
McGuire notes that during the pilot hole drilling, Michels implored Phillips 66 to allow the crews to move to a 24/7 work schedule on its property to ensure the integrity of the hole was intact. This was due to the changing soil and drilling conditions. “The string torque was getting elevated and we needed to work 24/7 to keep [the string]moving,” McGuire says. “Had [Phillips 66] not allowed us to do that, there’s a good possibility we would have had a lot of problems and wouldn’t have been successful.” The Michels team lauded Phillips 66 for success in this project, saying it was an outstanding partner in its response to the team’s needs for additional work space and facilitating its 24-hour pilot hole operations.[326]
October 26, 2015: Construction Begins For New Hydrotreater at Lake Charles Refinery for Lower Sulfur Content in Gasoline
The Midland Reporter-Telegraph reported on October 26, 2015 that construction recently began for a new hydrotreater at the Lake Charles Refinery to meet federal Tier 3 standards for lower sulfur content in gasoline for the beginning of 2017. Phillips 66 also is considering building a new hydrocracker or other potential upgrades in order to produce road-grade diesel fuels that would be more marketable in the U.S. The Lake Charles Refinery currently produces lots of diesel, but it is high-sulfur diesel that must be sold internationally or in the Northeast as home heating oil, said Refinery Manager Steve Geiger. Phillips 66 has resisted the expansion thus far because the demand from foreign markets remains strong, Geiger said. “We’re going to spend money where we get the best return,” Geiger said.[327]
+ Learn More About the Lake Charles Refinery
October 26, 2015: Construction Continues on Bayou Bridge Pipeline to Lake Charles Refinery
The Midland Reporter-Telegraph reported on October 26, 2015 that construction is ongoing on Phillips 66' Bayou Bridge pipeline to pump crude oil from terminals in southeast Texas directly to Lake Charles. The pipeline, which is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2016, will essentially connect Phillips 66' expanding Beaumont Terminal storage hub with the Lake Charles Refinery. The pipeline will connect to systems from the Texas’ Permian Basin, Eagle Ford Shale, East Texas, the Texas Panhandle and southern Oklahoma. A second phase of the Bayou Bridge will connect Lake Charles to the market hub in St. James, Louisiana, which is roughly between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.[328]
October 21, 2015: Phillips Considers Hydrocracker at Lake Charles Refinery to Produce Ultra-Low sulfur Diesel
Houston Business Journal reported on October 21, 2015 that Phillips 66 is stacking the deck at their Lake Charles Refinery to take advantage of what the company sees as a strong future for diesel products. "We continue to look into opportunities to get into fuel-grade diesel," said Steve Geiger, general manager of the refinery in Lake Charles, known in the company as the Lake Charles Refinery. According to Geiger the Lake Charles Refinery is already stacked to maximize diesel production, but not the fuel-grade diesel that drivers of light-duty vehicles are most familiar with. Phillips 66's Lake Charles complex currently only produces diesel products with 2,000 ppm of sulfur, also considered "high-sulfur" diesel, which is used by only certain non-road, locomotive and marine vessels. However, diesel fuels used in light-duty vehicles are expected to grow in market share by significant strides in the coming decades and Phillips 66 is actively looking to produce fuel-grade diesel at Lake Charles.[329]
According to Geiger Phillips 66 is considering adding a hydrocracker to produce ultra-low sulfur diesel at its Lake Charles Refinery. "We can't make road grade diesel," Geiger said. "We're looking at several different options: hydrocracking, hydrotreating, a revamp." Additionally, the refinery plans to replace the four drums on the fuels Coker in 2017. Geiger declined to say when the work was scheduled and when it is due to take place on the year. The drums have reached the end of their operational life.[330]
October 21, 2015: Marland Estate Commission's Octoberfest Fund Raiser Brings In Over $40,000 This Year for Marland Mansion
The Ponca City News reported on October 21, 2015 that the annual Oktoberfest, held every year on the first weekend of October at the Marland Mansion grounds, brought in more than $40,000 . The event benefits the Marland Estate Foundation dedicated to the maintenance and improvement of the Marland Mansion and Estate. This year the Foundation has dedicated funds to the OETA documentary, "High Stakes, Life and Times of E.W. Marland," an hour long program about Marland, 10th governor of Oklahoma, founder of Marland Oil Company, and the builder of the Marland Mansion.[331]
October 20, 2015: John Baza Receives E. W. Marland Award for his Work in the Regulatory Arena
The Deseret News reported on October 20, 2015 that John Baza, director of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, received E. W. Marland Award from the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission for his work in the regulatory arena. The annual E.W. Marland Award was established in 1994 to recognize an outstanding state regulator. E.W. Marland was a U.S. congressman, the 10th governor of Oklahoma, and is considered the father of the compact commission. has been with the division for more than 25 years, with nearly 15 of those years in the oil and gas program before assuming the role of division director. As director, he leads the division's efforts in petroleum development, coal mining, and mineral mining, along with abandoned mine reclamation.[332]
October 14, 2015: New Concerns Over Earthquakes in Oklahoma Near the Cushing Hub
The NYT reported on October 14, 2015 that a magnitude 4.5 quake struck Saturday afternoon about three miles northwest of the Cushing Hub, a sprawling tank farm that is among the largest oil storage facilities in the world, holding 53 million barrels of crude. The Cushing oil hub stores oil piped from across North America until it is dispatched to refineries. The Department of Homeland Security has gauged potential earthquake dangers to the hub and concluded that a quake equivalent to the record magnitude 5.7 could significantly damage the tanks while a study by Dr. Daniel McNamara concludes that recent earthquakes have increased stresses along two stretches of fault that could lead to quakes of that size. "It’s the eye of the storm,” says Dana Murphy, vice chairman of the state’s oil and gas regulatory body, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
“When we see these fault systems producing multiple magnitude 4s, we start to get concerned that it could knock into higher magnitudes,” says McNamara, author of a paper published online that a large earthquake near the storage hub “could seriously damage storage tanks and pipelines.” “Given the number of magnitude 4s here, it’s a high concern.” Nevertheless, Oklahoma’s attempt to deal with the earthquakes this autumn faces continuing obstacles. The government’s chief seismologist, who came under oil industry pressure to minimize the quakes’ origins in waste disposal, left this fall, and his successor is scheduled to depart soon. The state budget for the fiscal year that began in July slashed appropriations to the Corporation Commission by nearly 45 percent.[333][334][335]
October 14, 2015: Phillips Warns of Above-Average Emissions at Borger Refinery for Next Nine Days
Nasdaq reported on October 14, 2015 that Phillips 66 has warned of above-average gas emissions during the next nine days at Borger Refinery as the plant undergoes seasonal maintenance. "A side of the Unit 40 Electrostatic Precipitator Cabinets (ESP) will be taken off line for maintenance," Phillips said in a filing posted Wednesday on the website of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. "During maintenance there may be offline rapping. During the work there may be periods of high opacity and high particulate emissions. The Unit 40 FCCU is not scheduled to go down."[336]
"Some of Phillips 66's other refineries do not run as safely or trouble-free as the refinery in Ponca City" says Hugh Pickens, a private investor who closely follows Phillips' worldwide refinery operations. "For example, the Borger Refinery, operated by Phillips 66 since 1927, has a troubled history that includes two employee deaths and eleven injured by deadly fumes from a paralyzing gas in 1979 for which OSHA cited Phillips for "willful and serious" safety violations," says Pickens. More recently Phillips' Borger Refinery suffered three serious employee injuries in March, 2014, an employee fatality in 2012, a penalty for violations of the Clean Air Act in 2014, and an unscheduled shutdown in July, 2014 that closed down the refinery for 35 days for repairs. "Borger hasn't run well this year," Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland told analysts last year.
October 14, 2015: Phillips Reports Start-Up, Emissions at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reports a start-up at its Ponca City, Oklahoma refinery on October 14. The company also reports excess carbon monoxide emissions from an unspecified unit feed heater.[337]
October 12, 2015: East Plant Evacuated at Ponca Refinery After Hydrocarbon Release
The Ponca City News reported on October 12, 2015 that there was a hydrocarbon release at the Ponca City Refinery on October 12, 2015 at 10am while switching pumps in the East Plant. As a precaution, the East Plant was evacuated. According to Phillips spokewoman Diane Anderson, all personnel are accounted for, no injuries occurred, and there are no health risks associated wit the release. Phillips will continue to monitor the air at the refinery.[338]
October 12, 2015: Phillips 66 Cuts Capital Spending by 20 percent
The Houston Business Journal reported on October 12, 2015 that Phillips 66 plans to spend $3.6 billion in 2016 (including capital for its master limited partnership and for self-funded joint ventures), down from $4.6 billion in 2015 (not including spending for the MLP — Phillips 66 Partners). About 70 percent of the $1.2 billion allotted for refining will be for reliability, safety and environmental projects, including compliance with the new Tier 3 gasoline specifications. Discretionary Refining capital of about $400 million will improve product yields and lower feedstock costs. These investments include a modernization of the FCC at Bayway, and an upgrade of the vacuum tower at Billings.
The Phillips 66 Board of Directors has also authorized an additional $2 billion for share repurchase, bringing total authorizations to $9 billion. Shares will be repurchased from time to time in the open market at the company’s discretion, subject to market conditions and other factors, and in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.[339][340]
In December 2014, Phillips 66 announced plans to invest $1.1 billion of capital expenditures in Refining in 2015, approximately 75 percent of which will be sustaining capital. These investments were related to reliability and maintenance, safety and environmental projects, including compliance with the new EPA Tier 3 gasoline specifications. Discretionary Refining capital investments were directed toward small, high-return, quick pay-out projects, primarily to enhance use of advantaged crudes and improve product yields.[341]
October 10, 2015: It Has Taken Ten Years for Ponca City to Rebound from ConocoPhillips' Cuts in Carbon Fiber and Refining Research
Jeff Mordock and Scott Goss wrote in Delaware Online on October 10, 2015 that when ConocoPhillips cut research and development at its carbon fiber and refining research facilities in Ponca City between 2007 and 2009, the loss of those research units left Ponca City with empty buildings, higher unemployment and even declining student test scores as the high-performing children of scientists moved away.
According to Frankie Wood-Black, a principal at the environmental and scientific education company Sophic Pursuits, Inc., who also teaches at Northern Oklahoma College, those research job cuts followed executive level job losses in Ponca City, which began in 2002. "It hurt our economy and school system," said Wood-Black. "We lost a layer of infrastructure and it's taken us 10 years to rebound from all that." Mordock and Goss write that all of the ancillary jobs that were supported by well-paid ConocoPhillips researchers also evaporated and even traveling theater groups stopped touring through Ponca City because of the population reduction. "If you stayed in Ponca City, you had to make choices about how you are going to earn a living," said Wood-Black.[342]
On November 7, 2008 ConocoPhillips announced that the company was planning to downsize their operation in Ponca City and that all 700 office worker positions in Ponca City were being for relocated to Bartlesville or Houson and that all 700 office worker positions in Ponca City were being considered for consolidation or relocation. "Consolidation and relocation are options we're looking at," said company spokesman Tracy Harlow. "Any and all options are still on the board right now." Most of ConocoPhillips' nonrefinery jobs in Ponca City were focused in the credit card, information technology, facilities and other support operations, she noted. A steering committee, including ConocoPhillips managers, was looking at options. The review started November 2008 and had not narrowed into specifics so far, Harlow said. The 750 people employed in refinery operations would not be affected by the review.[343]
The Tulsa World reported on February 17, 2009 that ConocoPhillips had decided to relocate all of its 750 non-refinery positions out of Ponca City within two years and that first 250 jobs will be moved in 2009 with 180 jobs going to Houston and 70 jobs to Bartlesville. The positions moving first include jobs in technical services, research and development, engineering and support, human resources and Internet technology, among others. Management met with hundreds of Ponca City employees to tell them the news. "It’s a difficult time in general for all ConocoPhillips employees," said ConocPhillips spokesman Tracy Harlow. ConocoPhillips originally planned the Ponca City relocation study as a standalone effort in 2008 but falling energy and credit markets forced ConocoPhillips to consider layoffs and include Ponca City into its overall business efficiency study. "We made the strategic decision to consolidate locations for the most effective corporate operations,” Harlow said. “Obviously we are conserving cash right now, so cash will limit relocations in 2009.”[344]
October 9, 2015: Lankford and Lucas Among Strongest Supporters of Law to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban
The McCarville Report reported on October 9, 2015 that Congressman Frank Lucas voted for HR 702, a law to lift the ban on American exports for crude oil, which he says is sorely needed to keep U.S. energy production growing. “America is currently one of the top global energy producers in the world, and it’s time for us to recognize that. We should be looking for ways to take advantage of our domestic energy production, rather than stifling it through misguided government intervention. Lifting this outdated ban benefits several facets of our economy, from drivers paying less at the pump to the revitalization of rural communities who play a major role in American energy production,” said Lucas.
The Senate is working on a similar measure which is co-sponsored by Senator James Lankford who echoes Lucas’ sentiment concerning the President’s stance on the issue. “The House’s strong bipartisan vote to lift the ban on oil exports sends a powerful message that the American people want policies that will provide more jobs and a stronger economy. Oklahomans know that a consistent energy market means consistent energy jobs. Responsible and safe crude oil exports should not be blocked due to extreme ideology. The time is right to remove this antiquated barrier for domestic energy production.”[345]
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford held a one hour a town hall meeting at the Ponca City Civic Center on September 1, 2015 that was attended by over 110 Ponca City citizens. After discussing the Iran Nuclear Deal, the federal deficit, defense spending, and the presidential race, Lankford took questions from the audience.[346] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Senator Lankford about his position on the lifting of the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. "The Ponca City Refinery is the largest refiner in Oklahoma and the refinery here in Ponca City is the most profitable and best run of Phillip 66's fifteen worldwide refineries," said Pickens. "Where do you stand on lifting the 40-year ban on the export of crude oil from the United States?" Senator Lankford noted that there were only two countries in the world where there was a ban on the export of crude oil. One of them is Iran and the other is the United States said Lankford. Lankford said he was in favor of free markets and he thought that lifting the ban would be beneficial to the United States. Senator Lankford said he planned to vote in favor of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil.
US Congressman Frank Lucas held a town hall meeting in the Civic Center of Ponca City on August 28, 2015 to discuss issues with interested citizens. Lucas discussed the Iran Nuclear deal, the budget deficit, and the presidential race and then took questions from the audience.[347] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Congressman Lucas where he stood on the question of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. Congressman Lucas said that he was strongly in favor of lifting the ban, that he expected the bill to come before Congress later this year, and that he would vote in favor of lifting the ban.
October 6, 2015: Gas Prices Rise in Oklahoma as Ponca Refinery and Other Refineries Go Down for Maintenance
NewsOK reported on October 6, 2015 that the fuel price in Oklahoma City has jumped 16 cents over the past week and is likely to continue climbing. Most of the increase has been from both regularly scheduled refinery maintenance and larger problems that have been found while the refineries are offline, AAA Oklahoma spokesman Chuck Mai said. Fifteen refineries were down for maintenance Tuesday, including the Phillips 66 refinery in Ponca City that provides much of the gasoline used throughout central Oklahoma. The scheduled outages also have led gasoline to be rerouted throughout the country to make up for regional supply disruptions. Refineries typically go offline for repairs and maintenance this time of year as they switch to less expensive winter-blend fuels. But this year's maintenance season so far as been more disruptive than usual, Mai said. “It's not unlike when you take your car in for an oil change and find the alternator is about to go out or you need new brake pads,” Mai said. “Once you start doing that routine maintenance, you can find more things that are wrong. That's happening with these refineries. Sometimes when you get in there and look at the underbelly, you can find things that need more time to fix.”[348]
October 6, 2015: ConocoPhillips Lays Off 170 Employees in Bartlesville
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on October 6 2015 that ConocoPhillips will lay off 170 employees in Bartlesville - approximately 10% of the company's approximately 1,700 employees in the community. “We initially announced reductions internally on August 31 and externally on September 1,” said a ConocoPhillips spokesperson. “At the time, we announced that 10 percent of our global workforce would be affected. That 10 percent workforce reduction that you’re seeing globally, that (percentage) is what you’ll see in Bartlesville as well.” The layoffs come after what the spokesperson previously called a “dramatic downturn,” which has forced the company to look at its future workforce needs. While the company has taken significant steps to strengthen its position in the industry, workforce reductions are necessary, the spokesperson said.
“ConocoPhillips and its predecessor, Phillips Petroleum Company, have been lifelong, excellent corporate citizens to the City of Bartlesville,” said Bartlesville Mayor Tom Gorman. “I fully expect this relationship to continue well into the future. Through the years, ConocoPhillips — and Bartlesville along with it — has weathered many cycles in the petroleum industry. Although this is a difficult time in the petroleum industry, ConocoPhillips seems to be well positioned to emerge from this cycle as a leader in its segment of the petroleum industry. As a community, Bartlesville has compassion for those who are experiencing career changes.”[349]
No Phillips 66 employees in Bartlesville are affected by the layoffs. On November 11, 2011 ConocoPhillips announced that Phillips 66 would be the name of a new independent oil and gasoline refining and marketing firm, created as ConocoPhillips split into two companies. ConocoPhillips kept the current name of the company and concentrated on oil exploration and production side while Phillips 66 included refining, marketing, midstream, and chemical portions of the company.
October 6, 2015: Ponca City Not Directly Affected by ConocoPhillips Layoffs
According to Hugh Pickens, an independent analyst who closely monitors Phillips 66's worldwide operations, Ponca City is not expected to be impacted by the layoffs announced at ConocoPhillips including 170 layoffs in Bartlesville announced on October 6, 2015.[350] "In 2012 ConocoPhillips split into two companies - an upstream company focused on oil exploration, and a downstream company, called Phillips 66, that is focused on refineries, chemical plants, and midstream. The Ponca City refinery went with Phillips 66 which has not announced layoffs," says Pickens. "The Ponca City Refinery, which employs about 700 Phillips 66 employees and contractors, is running at almost 100% capacity and is considered to be one of the best run and most profitable of Phillips 66's fifteen worldwide refineries."
However there are some Ponca City residents who work for ConocoPhillips and commute to Bartlesville who could be impacted by the ConocoPhillips layoffs. In April, 2015 a previous ConocoPhillips' reduction in force affected some employees commuting from Ponca City to Bartlesville for a number of years. A Ponca City woman employee, who did not want to be identified told The Ponca City News, she was terminated from ConocoPhillips and sent home with others from the Bartlesville operations by cab. The 28-year employee, who had car-pooled, was terminated April 1, 2015 and transported back to Ponca City in a cab paid for by the company. A spokesman for ConocoPhillips said, “Within Bartlesville, less than 4 percent of our employees will be impacted by these workforce reductions. Anytime you have to do these kinds of reductions, it’s always very difficult.”[351]
In 2008 ConocoPhillips downsized their operation in Ponca City as about 700 office worker positions in Ponca City were relocated to Bartlesville or Houston. "Consolidation and relocation are options we're looking at," said company spokesman Tracy Harlow. "Any and all options are still on the board right now." Most of ConocoPhillips' nonrefinery jobs in Ponca City were focused in the credit card, information technology, facilities and other support operations, Harlow said. A steering committee, including ConocoPhillips managers, was looking at options. The review started November 2008 and had not narrowed into specifics so far, Harlow said. The 750 people employed in refinery operations would not be affected by the review.[352]
September 21, 2015: Phillips Prepares for Turn Around at Ponca Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on September 21, 2015 that Phillips 66 is preparing the Ponca City Refinery for turn around and that citizens may have noticed a cinnamon-like smell coming from a vessel cleaner at the refinery. According to Phillips the odor is harmless and biodegradable.[353]
September 19, 2015: Archie Dunham Makes $15 Million Donation to Houston Baptist University
The San Antonio Express-News reported on September 19, 2015 that former ConocoPhillips CEO Archie Dunham, the man who earned over 25 million dollars in bonuses for engineering the merger of Conoco and Phillips Petroleum in 2002, made a donation of $15 million to Houston Baptist University. Dunbar received a $26.6 million special payment in 2003 triggered by the merger of Conoco and Phillips 66 as a "change of control" payment and a corresponding "tax gross-up payment" that allowed Dunham to pull in more than $31 million in 2002. Dunham's bonus was made "in connection with the merger" of Houston's Conoco and Bartlesville, Okla.-based Phillips, according to Securities and Exchange documents filed by Houston-based ConocoPhillips. The combined change of control payments for former Conoco Executives amounted to approximately $64.8 million. "Those guys are getting rich," said one energy stock analyst.[354][355][356]
HBU President Robert B. Sloan, Jr., announced on May 19, 2015 the naming of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business. "We have long been blessed at HBU to be able to point our students to Archie and Linda Dunham as examples of the transforming power of Christian faith and Christian influence in the world," said President Sloan. "It is now an added privilege to be able to point to the Archie W. Dunham College of Business as a further tangible expression of our gratitude to the Dunham family." The Dunhams have supported a number of major on-campus projects that hold their name, including the Dunham Bible Museum, Dunham Theater, and Dunham Field for the University's newly constructed football stadium.[357]
Dunbar prides himself on being a man of integrity. “Integrity and ethics are among the responsibilities of all our corporate leadership, especially myself,” said Dunham in 2012. “Integrity and ethics must be evident in not only our personal lives, but also in our professional conduct before they can be instilled in our employees.”[358]
Jim Mulva, Phillips CEO and president, missed out on a change of control payment, but still managed to earn more than $18 million in 2002. A majority of Mulva's money in 2002 came via a "long-term incentive payout" of more than $14.9 million. Mulva was chairman and CEO of Phillips before the merger with Conoco in 2002 and became CEO of ConocoPhillips after Dunham's retirement in 2004.[359] Jim Mulva received the biggest package of any CEO in 2012 when he stepped down as CEO of ConocoPhillips. Mulva's total severance package was about $156 million and his exit sum was on top of salary, bonus and other compensation received while working for the company.[360]
September 18, 2015: ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance Says Bartlesville Still Important Even As Company Look at 10 Percent Global Reduction in Force
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on September 18, 2015 that ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance spoke to the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce on September 17, 2015 and told them that Bartlesville is still an important piece of the exploration and production industry and that as ConocoPhillips looks at spending cuts, Bartlesville will continue to be a key element to the company. “Bartlesville is a big, important part of the company. It’s going to stay a big, important part of the company,” said Lance. “We are having to make some corrections — this is an industry that has lost a lot of revenue. You have to react to that, and you have to react to the short-term, but it’s really, really important to keep the mid-term and long-term in mind as we go through those cycles. That’s what we’re doing. We’re going to make it through the short-term, we’re going to come out when the cycle recovers and we’re going to be in one of the best positions to thrive as an E&P company.”
ConocoPhillips recently announced a 10 percent reduction of its global workforce, with the largest percentage occurring in North America. “The billion dollar challenge that I put out to the company is one that we’re stepping back for a minute and taking a look at how we run the company,” said Lance. “It is, in fact, in the whole world, so it’s not just here in Bartlesville. It’s really something that we’re doing around the world. I think it’s going to be more sustainable for our company in terms of sustainable costs.”
Lance told members of the chamber that while the local community will be impacted, it will be minimal. “There will be some impact in Bartlesville. There will be some people that will move onto other things, but it’s not going to be significant," said Lance adding that ConocoPhillips is going to take this opportunity to take a look at how the company handles its back office operations. “Bartlesville’s not going anywhere. Bartlesville’s going to be a significant part of the company today, tomorrow, next month, next year. We have 1,700 employees here, and we have a pretty efficient operation. But, we are taking the time out to take a look at it and say, ‘let’s look at how we do it.’ We have the right systems and processes of an independent E&P company … I think that’s just a healthy thing to do every now and then.”[361]
September 16, 2015: Documentary of the Life of E. W. Marland Is Moving Forward
The Ponca City News reported on September 16, 2015 in a report on the Marland Estate Commission that an OETA/PBS documentary called "High Stakes: the Life and Times of E. W. Marland" is now being filmed around Ponca City. The documentary is being filmed by Scott Swearingen and Steve Herrin Products funded by a grant of $100,000 from the Marland Estate Foundation. David Keathly, Director of the Marland Estate said many days of interviews, staging and filming have already taken place and more scenes will be filmed this weekend, including spectacular ballroom scenes. Once the film airs on OETA, it will be shown on surrounding state’s PBS and draw more visitors to the Marland attractions in Ponca City said Keathley. Oklahoma author Michael Wallis is the narrator for the film.[362]
E. W. Marland's life ran to legendary proportions. The Pennsylvania native won and lost an oil fortune in West Virginia, a much larger one in Oklahoma, was a high-stakes gambler, lived lavishly, spent great amounts on his community and his workers, was a businessman with a strong social conscience, an enthusiastic conservationist and gardener. He had boom-and-bust times in politics as well as oil. After losing his independent Marland Oil Co. to financial sharks led by the younger J.P. Morgan, Marland a Democratic convert and ardent New Dealer won a term in Congress and one as Oklahoma's governor. Two bids for the U.S. Senate were unsuccessful. After his first wife died in 1926, he created controversy by having the legal status of their adopted daughter, Lydie, changed so he could marry her. He drilled for and found oil from the Appalachians to California, over much of the West and into Mexico. He pioneered in drilling the rich Three Sands and Burbank fields of Oklahoma this by a man trained as a lawyer, an early-day coal prospector self-taught in geology.[363]
E. W. Marland loved playing poker. A first rate player, Marland learned poker as a fraternity member at the Sigma Chi fraternity house at the University of Michigan in 1891. Marland loved gambling intensely and was a fair loser and a modest winner. At Ann Arbor Marland never gave the impression of excitability while playing but was alart though silent. John Joseph Mathews recounts in his book "Life and Death of an Oilman: The Career of E.W. Marland" that one time a sharpshooter from another part of town came to the Sigma Chi house to play. Very soon he had chips piled before him on the table. Then suddenly he stood up, beamed on the others and said, "I guess I'll check out." As he raked in the money from the banker in exchange for his chips, he said with a smug smile, "The fact is, boys, I need the money." Marland showed shocked surprise on his usually unreadable face. The expression of incredulity impressed the others when the sharpshooter had gone with all the money and they bantered Marland. At each game thereafter someone at some time usually after winning a large pot would say, "The fact is, boys, I need the money."[364]
After Marland sturck oil in Ponca City and had begun to build his oil empire, it is said E. W. and his lieutenants and friends would spend many a night playing poker. EW, Lew Wentz, George Miller, and Bill McFadden would play poker at the Arcade Hotel until daybreak, trading gossip and oil patch rumors. After EW struck it rich, there were hundreds of private poker parties in Ponca City every year. Sometimes these were lavish affairs at the Arcade Hotel or at some private home. Marland continued to love playing poker and played with deep concentration, except that now he could afford to lose or to win as much as seventy-five thousand dollars. When Marland built his "Palace on the Praiarie" he made sure to include a secret "Poker Room" in the first floor of the Marland Mansion, in a room next to the safe and the bootleg liquor vault.[365]
September 15, 2015: Vote Planned on Bill to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban
Barron's reported on September 15, 2015 that House Republicans plan to vote on a bill in the coming weeks to lift the nation’s 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports. More than a dozen oil companies— a list that includes Continental Resources (CLR), ConocoPhillips (COP). and Marathon Oil (MRO) .—have pushed Congress to lift the ban, arguing that unrestrained domestic oil exports would eliminate market distortions, streamline U.S. production and kindle the U.S. economy. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) is expected to announce the vote, being scheduled for the last week of September, at a Tuesday speech in Houston. While the legislation is likely to pass the GOP-controlled House, its prospects in the Senate are less clear. The White House hasn’t taken a position on the issue.[366]
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford held a one hour a town hall meeting at the Ponca City Civic Center on September 1, 2015 that was attended by over 110 Ponca City citizens. After discussing the Iran Nuclear Deal, the federal deficit, defense spending, and the presidential race, Lankford took questions from the audience.[367] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Senator Lankford about his position on the lifting of the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. "The Ponca City Refinery is the largest refiner in Oklahoma and the refinery here in Ponca City is the most profitable and best run of Phillip 66's fifteen worldwide refineries," said Pickens. "Where do you stand on lifting the 40-year ban on the export of crude oil from the United States?" Senator Lankford noted that there were only two countries in the world where there was a ban on the export of crude oil. One of them is Iran and the other is the United States said Lankford. Lankford said he was in favor of free markets and he thought that lifting the ban would be beneficial to the United States. Senator Lankford said he planned to vote in favor of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil.
US Congressman Frank Lucas held a town hall meeting in the Civic Center of Ponca City on August 28, 2015 to discuss issues with interested citizens. Lucas discussed the Iran Nuclear deal, the budget deficit, and the presidential race and then took questions from the audience.[368] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Congressman Lucas where he stood on the question of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. Congressman Lucas said that he was strongly in favor of lifting the ban, that he expected the bill to come before Congress later this year, and that he would vote in favor of lifting the ban.
September 10, 2015: Phillips 66 Donates Mural to City of St. Louis
The River Front Times reported on September 10, 2015 that Phillips 66 has donated a 1,200-square-foot mural to the city of St. Louis as part of KDHX 88.1 FM "66 Reasons to Love St. Louis" ad campaign. "It is not likely we would have taken on a mural without some kind of sponsor," says Kelly Wells, the station's interim co-executive director. She said the company paid for all the materials and compensated the father-daughter artist duo, Robert and Liza Fishbone, who created it. The Fishbones were selected by a committee consisting of representatives from Phillips 66, KDHX, the Grand Center and the locally-based marketing firm Switch after a request for proposals. According to the River Front Times, the mural also contains some subtle — though probably unintended — PR imagery. The left side of it depicts someone canoeing on a clean blue river — ironic, given that as recently as last April, the Phillips 66 refinery in Wood River, Illinois (which is just across the river from St. Charles) spilled 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel into a waterway that feeds into the Mississippi. The mural will be dedicated on September 11, by Mayor Francis G. Slay.[369]
September 9, 2015: Phillips 66 Storage and Pipeline Infrastructure Projects are an ‘Option on Exports’
The American Journal of Transportation reported on September 9, 2015 that Phillips 66’s investments in storage and pipeline infrastructure in southeastern Texas give the company an “option on exports” should the decades-old domestic crude export ban be lifted, Chief Executive Officer Greg Garland told analysts. “I do think people will make investments to support export infrastructure and we want to do that too,” Garland said during a webcast presentation at the Barclays CEO Energy-Power conference in New York. In 2014 Phillips 66 acquired a 7.1 million barrel crude and refined products terminal in Beaumont, Texas, that Garland said was “really an option on crude exports.” The terminal has two Aframax-capable docks and a barge dock. It also has rail and truck offloading facilities. Phillips is a 25 percent partner in two Energy Transfer Partners pipeline projects that aim to move North Dakota Bakken and Canadian heavy crude to Sunoco Logistics Partners’ storage terminal in nearby Nederland by late 2016.[370]
September 8, 2015: Judge Upholds Phillips 66 As Sole Owner of Sweeny Refinery
Retuers reported on September 8, 2015 that a federal court in New York has upheld a ruling granting U.S. oil and gas company ConocoPhillips sole ownership of a unit at the Sweeny, Texas refinery, ending a long-running dispute over the asset with Venezuela's PDVSA. U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan, in a decision signed last week, wrote that PDVSA's appeal was baseless and confirmed Conoco was the sole owner of the unit, which processes heavy crude oil. A spokesman for Conoco said litigation regarding refining assets was most likely transferred to Phillips 66, which was spun off from Conoco.
Conoco and PDVSA formed a joint venture in the late 1990s to run the refining unit. But they went to arbitration before the ICC in 2010 after crude supply interruptions that triggered a contract provision dissolving the pact. Under the terms of the contract, Conoco paid nothing for PDVSA's stake. The breakup clause in the contract said Conoco would gain the stake free of charge if PDVSA's dividends exceeded its capital contributions. Its dividends were $1.1 billion, while its capital contribution was about $270 million, the decision says. Conoco was also obligated to assume PDVSA's debt, which was about $195 million.[371]
September 3, 2015: Phillips Reports FCC Regenerator Malfunction at Ponca City Refinery
Reuters reported on September 3, 2015 that Phillips had reported an FCC Regenerator Malfunction at the Ponca City Refinery on August 28, 2015 according to a filing with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.[372]
What is the regenerator? The reactor and regenerator are considered to be the heart of the fluid catalytic cracking unit. The preheated high-boiling petroleum feedstock (at about 315 to 430 °C) consisting of long-chain hydrocarbon molecules is combined with recycle slurry oil from the bottom of the distillation column and injected into the catalyst riser where it is vaporized and cracked into smaller molecules of vapor by contact and mixing with the very hot powdered catalyst from the regenerator. Since the cracking reactions produce some carbonaceous material (referred to as catalyst coke) that deposits on the catalyst and very quickly reduces the catalyst reactivity, the catalyst is regenerated by burning off the deposited coke with air blown into the regenerator.[373]
September 3, 2015: Phillips Completing Temporary Replacement for Collapsed Cooling Tower at Wood River Refinery
Reuters reported on September 3, 2015 that Phillips plan to have a temporary coolng tower in place by September 3, 2015 which will allow them to run its Fluid Catalytic Crackers (FCC) at normal rates, according to a source ramiliar with operations at the refinery. A cooling tower collapsed on August 25 forcing one of the FCCs to be shut down and the other to be run at reduced rates.[374]
September 1, 2015: Hugh Pickens Asks Oklahoma Senator Lankford His Position on Lifting the Ban on Crude Oil Exports
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford held a one hour a town hall meeting at the Ponca City Civic Center on September 1, 2015 that was attended by over 110 Ponca City citizens. After discussing the Iran Nuclear Deal, the federal deficit, defense spending, and the presidential race, Lankford took questions from the audience.[375]
Hugh Pickens asked Senator Lankford about his position on the lifting of the ban on the export of crude oil products. "The Ponca City Refinery is the largest refiner in Oklahoma and the refinery here in Ponca City is the most profitable and best run of Phillip 66's fifteen worldwide refineries," said Pickens. "Where do you stand on lifting the 40-year ban on the export of crude oil from the United States?" Senator Lankford noted that there were only two countries in the world where there was a ban on the export of crude oil. One of them is Iran and the other is the United States said Lankford. Lankford said he was in favor of free markets and he thought that lifting the ban would be beneficial to the United States. Senator Lankford said he planned to vote in favor of lifting the ban on the export of crude oil.
Fuelfix reported on May 7, 2014 that Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland said Phillips doesn’t oppose exporting U.S. oil, putting the company at odds with other independent refiners who have lobbied aggressively against lifting the nation’s crude exports ban. In the past, Garland has expressed outright support for lifting the ban, garnering him attention for reportedly being the first major refining head to take that position. According to Fuelfix, Garland is now taking a slightly softer position. “We’ve never said we’re for — we’ve said we don’t oppose,” Garland said. “In our view, it’s time to have an honest, open dialogue about energy policy in the U.S., and we need to be holistic in that,” Garland continued. Garland said he isn’t very confident U.S. policy on crude exports will change any time soon. “In an election year, I think it’s going to be difficult for Congress to move on this issue simply because they have too many other things on their plate,” Garland said. “Politically, it’s a very difficult thing right now.”[376]
September 1, 2015: ConocoPhillips to Slash Workforce with Massive Layoffs, Bartlesville to be Impacted
CNBC reported on September 1, 2015 that ConocoPhillips will cut about 10 percent of its global workforce, with the largest percentage occurring in North America. "As we have assessed the implications of lower prices on our business, we've made the difficult decision that workforce reductions will be necessary," wrote Daren Beaudo, director of communications, in an email to CNBC. Beaudo said that more information will be available in the coming weeks. The company currently employs 3,753 workers in its Houston headquarters where the reductions are expected to impact about 500 workers.[377]
In Bartlesville, 1,700 people work for ConocoPhillips, but the company has not said how many employees, if any, could be let go. ConocoPhillips released a statement saying, in part, "While Bartlesville will be impacted [by the layoffs] we do not have any specifics beyond that." Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce President Sherri Wilt said she hasn't heard anything, but said, while losing jobs at ConocoPhillips would be a big blow, Bartlesville is diversifying its economy.[378] “We’ll know more in the next several weeks as we work through our formal process. Our industry is undergoing a dramatic downturn, which has caused us to look at our future workforce needs,” a ConocoPhillips spokesperson told the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. “As we have assessed the implications of lower prices on our business, we’ve made the difficult decision that workforce reductions will be necessary.”[379]
September 1, 2015: Ponca City Not Expected to Be Impacted by ConocoPhillips Layoffs
According to Hugh Pickens, an independent analyst who closely monitors Phillips 66's worldwide operations, Ponca City is not expected to be impacted by the layoffs announced at ConocoPhillips. "In 2012 ConocoPhillips split into two companies - an upstream company focused on oil exploration, and a downstream company, called Phillips 66, that is focused on refineries, chemical plants, and midstream. The Ponca City refinery went with Phillips 66 which has not announced layoffs," says Pickens. "The Ponca City Refinery, which employs about 700 Phillips 66 employees and contractors, is running at almost 100% capacity and is considered to be one of the best run and most profitable of Phillips 66's fifteen worldwide refineries."
However there are some Ponca City residents who work for ConocoPhillips and commute to Bartlesville who could be impacted by the ConocoPhillips layoffs. In April, 2015 a previous ConocoPhillips' reduction in force affected some employees commuting from Ponca City to Bartlesville for a number of years. A Ponca City woman employee, who did not want to be identified told The Ponca City News, she was terminated from ConocoPhillips and sent home with others from the Bartlesville operations by cab. The 28-year employee, who had car-pooled, was terminated April 1, 2015 and transported back to Ponca City in a cab paid for by the company. A spokesman for ConocoPhillips said, “Within Bartlesville, less than 4 percent of our employees will be impacted by these workforce reductions. Anytime you have to do these kinds of reductions, it’s always very difficult.”[380]
In 2008 ConocoPhillips downsized their operation in Ponca City as about 700 office worker positions in Ponca City were relocated to Bartlesville or Houston. "Consolidation and relocation are options we're looking at," said company spokesman Tracy Harlow. "Any and all options are still on the board right now." Most of ConocoPhillips' nonrefinery jobs in Ponca City were focused in the credit card, information technology, facilities and other support operations, Harlow said. A steering committee, including ConocoPhillips managers, was looking at options. The review started November 2008 and had not narrowed into specifics so far, Harlow said. The 750 people employed in refinery operations would not be affected by the review.[381]
September 1, 2015: Greg Garland Says Phillips 66 Has Cut Oil-By-Rail Shipments
Reuters reported on September 1, 2015 that oil tank cars - a year ago sought-after to haul crude from North Dakota to New Jersey - now stand idle as a result of two converging trends: the reversal in U.S. shale oil production and the completion of new pipelines. Big rail lines, such as Berkshire Hathaway-owned BNSF Railways or Union Pacific are losing what used to be their fastest-growing source of new traffic; refiners such as PBF Energy are left with millions of dollars worth of unused rolling stock; and leasing firms such as Trinity Industries and Greenbrier Companies Inc have seen monthly rates fall to a third of peaks above $2000 per car.
Phillips 66 has cut oil-by-rail shipments. "We actually set cars on the siding. We brought imported crudes in the system," CEO Greg Garland recently told investors.[382][383]
On September 3, 2014, Greg Garland told analysts at the Barclays CEO Energy-Power Conference that Phillips had ordered another 500 railcars to increase its fleet to 3,700 railcars. which would allow it to eventually move up to 185,000 barrels per day (bpd) of North Dakota Bakken crude oil to its refineries on the East and West coasts.[384]
August 31, 2015: Community Meets to Discuss Complaints Over Lack of Community Notification After August 2 Fire at Phillips 66's Rodeo Refinery
The Contra Costa Times reported on August 31, 2015 that there will be a public meeting on September 8, 2015 in Crockett, California to discuss complaints over a lack of community notification after the fire at Rodeo Refinery on August 2, 2015. Margaret Faria of the Crockett Improvement Association, which is organizing the community meeting, said she is not aware of any communication from the refinery during the incident or that its warning siren ever sounded. "I haven't found a single person who got a phone call or heard the siren go off," Faria added. Tony Semenza of the Community Awareness Emergency Response group will attend the meeting, the improvement association said in a news release, and representatives of Phillips 66 have been invited as well.[385]
August 31, 2015: FCC Units Running at Reduced Rates at Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery Until Collapsed Cooling Tower Replaced
Reuters reported on Augusut 31, 2015 that Phillips 66 is running both its gaoline-making FCC units at reduced rates at the Wood River Refinery following collapse of a colling tower on August 25, 2015, according to sources familiar with operations at the refinery. The FCC units will continue to run at reduced rates until Phillips finds a temporary replacement for the collapsed water tower.[386]
August 31, 2015: Phillips Says Talks With United Steelworkers Union at Alliance Refinery Are Ongoing
Reuters reported on August 31, 2015 that Phillips 66 said on August 31, 2015 that its talks with the United Steelworkers (USW) for a contract covering the unions hourly workes at Alliance Refinery were continuing. "We have a signed agreement with the union to extend the existing contract at the Alliance Refinery through September 11, said Phillips 66 spokeswoman Lara Burhenn. "In the meantime negotiations will continue in good faith."[387]
August 28, 2015: Hugh Pickens Asks Congressman Frank Lucas His Position on Lifting the Ban on the Export of Crude Oil from the United States
US Congressman Frank Lucas held a town hall meeting in the Civic Center of Ponca City on August 28, 2015 to discuss issues with interested citizens. Lucas discussed the Iran Nuclear deal, the budget deficit, and the presidential race and then took questions from the audience.[388] The first question was from Hugh Pickens who asked Congressman Lucas where he stood on the question of lifing the ban on the export of crude oil from the United States. Congressman Lucas said that he was strongly in favor of lifting the ban, that he expected the bill to come before Congress later this year, and that he would vote in favor of lifting the ban.
August 28, 2015: Phillips Reports FCCU Regenerator Malfunction at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips Reports FCCU Regenerator Malfunction at Ponca City Refinery [389]
August 28, 2015: Workers at Alliance Refinery Reject Phillips Contract Offer
Reuters reported on August 28, 2015 that union workers at Phillips 66's Alliance Refinery rejected a contract offer from Phillips on August 28, 2015, according to an official at the United Steelworkers (USW) which represents the refinery's hourly employees. The workers have continued working on an extension to a previous contract and contract talks continue, said John Link, assistant to the USW Distrcit 13 director. The USW reached a national four-year agrrement with the USW in March, 2015 but the national agreement has to be paired with an agreement with employees at Alliance Refinery over local issues to make the contract for hourly workers at the refinery.[390]
August 28, 2015: Warren Buffett Reports $4.5 Billion Stake in Phillips 66
Bloomberg reported on August 28, 2015 that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. disclosed a $4.5 billion stake in Phillips 66 contradicting an earlier story on august 17, 2015 that Buffett had sold all his shares in Phillips. Earlier this month, Berkshire didn’t disclose an investment in Phillips 66 at the end of the second quarter. At the time, Buffett’s firm also said it had omitted some data that was reported confidentially to regulators. The Securities and Exchange Commission sometimes allows companies to withhold information from the public to limit copycat investing while a firm is building or cutting a position. Berkshire held almost 58 million shares after purchases, or more than 10 percent of the total outstanding, according to a regulatory filing issued Friday by Buffett’s Omaha, Nebraska-based company. Phillips 66 closed at $77.23 on Friday in New York. Buffett’s company formerly held more stock in the refiner. It used most of those shares to buy a business from Phillips 66 last year.[391]
August 28, 2015: Gasoline Unit Restarted after Cooling Tower Collapse at Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on August 28, 2015 that a 42,000 bpd fluid catalytic cracking unit was restarted on August 28, 2015 after the collapse of a cooling tower at Phillips 66’s Wood River refinery put the unit our of service on August 24, 2015. The restart of a gasoline-making unit was underway on the morning of August 28, 2015 after previous attempts to bring the unit online were unsuccessful because of technical glitches said a source familiar with plant operations. The other FCCU unit remained at reduced rates, the source added.[392]
August 26, 2015: Cooling Tower Collapses at Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery Shutting Down 42,000 bpd FCCU
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on August 25, 2015 that a cooling tower at Phillips 66’s Wood River refinery collapsed on August 24, 2015, forcing the plant to shut a 42,000 bpd fluid catalytic cracking unit, or FCCU and run a second one at reduced rates, said a source familiar with plant operations. Workers at the refinery may try to restart the FCCU, within the next 48 hours, the source said. The refinery has two such units with capacity of 42,000 and 48,000 bpd, according to IIR Energy data on Eikon. It was not clear which unit was affected. “The Wood River Refinery had an operational upset resulting from a loss of cooling from an upset cooling water tower,” said Phillips 66 spokeswoman Melissa Erker in an emailed statement. “There were no injuries to employees or offsite impacts," adding that the company was “working to resupply cooling water to the impacted units using redundant cooling water supply from other towers.”[393]
August 17, 2015: Ponca City Refinery Begins Two Month Overhaul
Reuters reported on August 17, 2015 that contractors at the Ponca City Refinery have begun preliminary work ahead of a planned two-month-long overhaul set to begin Sepember 1. According to trade sources a 33,000 bpd crude topping unit will be overhauled from September 1 to September 30 and a 76,000 bpd crude distillation unit will be shut for work from October 1 and the first week of November. A 26,000 bpd gasoline producing fluidic catalytic cracking unit, a 20,000 bpd catalytic reformer, and a 35,000 bpd hydrotreater will also be overhauled beginning on October 1.[394]
The Houston Business Journal reported on August 17, 2015 that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. sold off all of its shares in Phillips 66 during the second quarter. Berkshire Hathaway had held nearly 7.5 million shares of Phillips 66.[395]
August 13, 2015: Garland Says Phillips 66's Commitment to Bartlesville Remains Strong
Bartlesville Radio reported on August 13, 2015 that Phillips 66 Chief Executive Officer, Greg Garland told attendees at a forum sponsored by the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce on August 13, 2015 that the company's commitment to Bartlesville remains strong. Garland showed a video highlighting the company's involvement in Bartlesville from the Phillips 66 museum and all of its facilities in Bartlesville to the large number of local employees and its support of some 90 non-profit organizations in the area.[396] “We wouldn’t be who we are without the amazing employees of this company,” said Garland. “Bartlesville is a very important part of the legacy, the culture of our company… It is a vital part of the operations of Phillips 66 today… Bartlesville, as much as any place I go, exemplifies our values of safety, honor and commitment… Our commitment runs deep here.”[397]
According to Garland, Phillips 66 is committed to the betterment of the local economy and education systems. Last year, Garland announced a $1.7 million grant to Bartlesville Public Schools to build Phillips 66 Innovation Labs at Bartlesville High School, Madison Middle School and Central Middle School. The labs are intended to enhance local education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Garland said that the donation is just one way Phillips 66 can demonstrate its commitment to Bartlesville and the employee base here. “Bartlesville is so unique. You have such a cadre of highly-educated people here in this town that are willing to go back (to the schools), and I think the STEM labs will create opportunities for people to go in there and encourage people in science, technology, engineering and math,” Garland told the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. “I think that education is one of the keys. We have to have exemplary schools in our communities so that our employees choose to live in those communities. We want to make sure they have good options. We are particularly interested in encouraging students. We want them to finish school, get their high school degree and go on to college, if that is what they want to do. We want them to be interested in science, technology, engineering and math.”[398]
August 10, 2015: Shippers Will Have Access To Ponca City Refinery Through Double H Pipeline System
Kinder Morgan Transports Powder River Basin Barrels to Guernsey, Wyoming on Its Double H Pipeline System Kinder Morgan, Inc. today announced it has begun to receive Powder River Basin volumes into its Double H pipeline system via a newly constructed connection near Douglas, Wyoming for crude oil deliveries to Guernsey, Wyoming, increasing its system capacity to approximately 99,000 b/d. The Powder River Basin project is the result of the successful open season held earlier this year on the local Double H pipeline and the joint Hiland/Pony Express systems which resulted in additional commitments to the Double H pipeline from sources in North Dakota and Wyoming. Kinder Morgan’s Double H pipeline is supplied by the Market Center Gathering system in the Bakken and terminates near Guernsey. The 485-mile pipeline transports crude oil from the Dore Terminal in North Dakota and the Albin Terminal in Montana to Guernsey. At Guernsey, Double H anticipates placing delivery connections to the Plains All American Pipeline Guernsey Station and Sinclair Guernsey Terminal into service in the third quarter of 2015 to provide increased connectivity to local and regional markets. Shippers also have access via an interconnect with the Pony Express Pipeline for transportation to the Phillips Refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma or the Deeprock Terminal in Cushing, Oklahoma. Double H was placed in service in February 2015 according to a report from Reuters on August 10, 2015.[399]
August 2, 2015: Fire Extinguished at Rodeo Refinery
The Contra Costa Times reported on August 2, 2015 that a small fire on August 2, 2015 at Phillips Rodeo Refinery spurred the county health department to issue a public health advisory for the towns of Rodeo and Crockett. The Contra Costa County incident warning system issued an alert just before 3:15 p.m. that staff concerned with hazardous materials were responding to a report of a fire at the refinery. County officials advise people with respiratory sensitivities to avoid the area or stay inside and rinse any irritated area with water but added that most people should not be affected. No injuries were reported, and the fire's cause is under investigation.[400]
July 31, 2015: Ponca Refinery Earns $71 million, Continues as Phillips 66's Most Profitable Refinery
Phillips 66 reported their second quarter earnings for 2015 on July 31, 2015 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show the Ponca City Refinery continues as the most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. The Ponca City Refinery earned $71 million for Phillips in the second quarter of 2015 for an annualized profit of $284 million. Phillips' Wilmington Refinery in Wilmington, CA was the second most profitable with $69 million in earnings for Phillips in the secondquarter of 2015 with an annualized profit of $276 million.[401]
The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the second quarter of 2015 are:[402]
- Ponca City Refinery - $284 million
- Wilmington Refinery - $276 million
- Rodeo Refinery - $238 million
- Wood River refinery - $227 million
- Bayway Refinery - $214 million
See Appendix 4 for detailed calculations:
July 25, 2015: Oil is Down but Garland's Pay is Up
The Houston Chronicle reported on July 25, 2015 that despite domestic oil's long and lingering swoon that began last summer, Phillips CEO Greg Garland's pay is up for 2014. Garland ranked No 2 in pay for CEO's of publicly traded companies just behind Ryan Lance of ConocoPhillips.[404] Phillips 66's Board of Directors cut Chief Executive Greg Garland's bonus pay by 35 percent in 2014, citing market conditions and stock performance. While the company performed well against financial and operational targets, the filing states, "market conditions and stock performance at the end of 2014 did not, in the Compensation Committee's view, justify a full payout" of the incentive pay that Garland and other top executives were eligible to receive.[405]
July 17, 2015: Ponca City Refinery Reports Automatic Shutdown of Gasoline Processing Unit
The Ponca City News reported on July 17, 2015 that an automatic shutdown of one of the gasoline processing units occurred on the morning of July 17, 2015. “A small transformer fell but the safety system worked correctly," said refinery manager Tim Seidel. “The people involved with that work were moved to a different part of the refinery so operations could focus on safely shutting down the unit. We have several tiers of evacuations. Whenever we have an unplanned shutdown of any process unit we sound an alarm in that area that shuts down any non-critical maintenance work and also lets everyone know that those operators are busy with the shutdown and to not bother them. We did that as part of our protocol." No injuries or damage to equipment were reported.[406]
July 17, 2015: Phillips Reports Upset at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported an upset at Ponca City Refinery on July 17, 2015 according to a report from Reuters on July 22, 2015.[407]
July 15, 2015: Ponca Playhouse Presents the Story of EW Marland
The Ponca City News reported on July 15, 2015 that Ponca Playhouse is presenting "The Broken Statue," a partially fictionalized version of the story of EW Marland, Lydie Marland, and the story of birth of the oil industry in North-Central Oklahoma by Oklahoma playright Bob Perry. This is the third time that Ponca Playhouse has presented the play. Ponca Playhouse previously produced the play in 2012 and 2013 to sold-out audiences. "We are presenting the play for a third time in Ponca City due to public demand," says Hugh Pickens, co-producer of the play along with his wife, Dr. S. J. Pickens. Only 960 seats are available for the 2015 presentation. Tickets are available by calling The Ponca Playhouse. The performances will be July 23, 24, 26, 26, 30, 31 and Aug. 1 and 2. “Although partially fiction, ‘The Broken Statue’ helps provide the public with an insight that feeds their curiosity of the life and times of E.W., Virginia, George and Lydie Marland and their contemporaries. The play gives a glimpse of the extravagant glory days of the 1910s and 1920s as they existed in Oklahoma,” said David Keathly, executive director of the Marland Mansion.[409]
July 3, 2015: Phillips Reports Startup, FCCU Emissions at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported the startup and FCCU emissions at Ponca City refinery according to reports from Reuters on July 8, 2015.[410]
June 29, 2015: Greg Garland is No 1 Houstonian to Know in 2015 Despite Phillips Decrease in Revenue and Stock Price
B. Candace Beeke wrote in Houston Business Journal on June 29, 2015 that Greg Garland, CEO and chairman of Phillips 66 — is still holding tight to the No. 1 spot of the "Top 100 Public Companies" based in Houston. Phillips 66 "saw one of the largest decreases in revenue, stock price and assets on The List, year over year," writes Beeke. "Despite that, it’s still No. 1 in revenue and high on the list of total assets in fiscal year 2014."[411]
June 17, 2015: Governor Fallin Appoints Tim Seidel to University Center Board of Directors
The Tulsa World reported on June 16, 2015 that Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has appointed Ponca City Refinery Manager Tim Seidel to the Board of Directors of the Ponca City University Center. Seidel will fill out the unexpired term of former refinery manager Pete Stynes who transferred to Phillips' troubled refinery in Borger, Texas in April, 2014. Seidel's term will expire in June 2019. Siedel currently serves on the board of directors at RCB Bank, the board of the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association, the board of Jupiter Sulfur and the board of Standing Bear Native American Foundation. Seidel also serves as vice president for the Conoco and Phillips 66 Heritage Museums. Seidel came to Ponca City in 2012 after serving as site manager at Phillips' Santa Maria Refinery.[412]
June 15, 2015: Planned Work at Ponca City Refinery Complete
Reuters reported on June 15, 2015 that according to Phillips, planned maintenance at the Ponca City Refinery has been completed.[413]
June 14, 2015: Phillips 66 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Lab at Bartlesville High School Will Be Delayed
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on June 13, 2015 that completion of the Phillips 66 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Lab at Bartlesville High School will be delayed. According to Scott Ambler, architect of the construction projects at the expanded BHS campus, sub-contractor Estruct LLC — which laid the concrete slab in the new science wing and laid the slab on both floors of the ninth-grade center, commons area and 10th-grade classrooms — did not level the concrete appropriately. Because extra crews and resources are going to be used to correct the problem, Nabholz Construction said completion of the Phillips 66 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Lab will be delayed. The STEM Lab is being built in the basement of the main building at BHS, where the former cafeteria was located. Officials say the STEM Lab will most likely not be ready at the very start of the school year, but will be completed shortly afterward.[414]
June 8, 2015: Planned Maintenance Underway at Ponca City Refinery
Nasdq reported on June 8, 2015 that planned maintenance is underway at the Ponca City Refinery. Phillips has planned maintenance underway at five of its worldwide refineries: Humber Refinery, Wilmington Refinery, Ponca City Refinery, Wood River Refinery, and Whitegate Refinery. Phillips did not indicate whether fuel output may be impacted, and representatives from Phillips 66 weren't immediately available to comment.[415]
May 29, 2015: Phillips Explains Leak and Flare at Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on May 29, 2015 that residents in the south part of Ponca City were startled by two large bangs from the Ponca City refinery caused by a small leak around a pipe flange that allowed about 3 barrels of gas to escape. Refinery Manager Tim Seidel the gas was clean and did not contain sulphur or any other componenets that need to be recovered. The refinery lost some production while repairs are being made but there was no danger to the refinery or the surrounding area.[416]
May 19, 2015: Phillips is Committed to Bartlesville and We're Here to Stay Says Phillips Vice President of Technology
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported on May 19, 2015 that Merl Lindstrom, vice president of technology for Phillips 66, told members of the Bartlesville Noon Rotary Club that Bartlesville is "a great place, we really like Bartlesville, and suffice to say, we’re here to stay." Lindstrom noted that other peer companies have to contract their research to third parties because they have nothing comparable to the state-of-the art research center, which was first established by Phillips Petroleum Company in 1950. Around 1,000 researchers and technicians, including Phillips 66 employees and those from ConocoPhillips and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, work at the 440-acre research campus, located just west of the city. “We have a very unique portfolio relative to our peers. We’re very diverse, very broad, and if you compare us to our peers and some of the other refiners, we’re the only one that has a research and development organization,” said Lindstrom on Monday afternoon. “That’s something I’m certainly proud of and something that we use to our advantage.”
Lindstrom said a premier testing site for polyethylene research is being built on the campus that has been a hub of research and development for decades. The facility will be dedicated to further improving products, processes and technologies that can be applied to the company’s worldwide operations. “It’s another anchor for the research center to be there for a very long time,” Lindstrom said about the new plant, which is scheduled to start operating in 2017.
Lindstrom added that Phillips 66 is committed to investing in the Bartlesville community. In 2014, the company contributed nearly $2 million toward education, Bartlesville Regional United Way and the Sooner Park Play Tower, among other community causes.[417]
April 30, 2015: Garland Says Turnaround at Ponca City Lowered Profit
Greg Garland announced during the 2015 first quarter earnings conference call that profits in the Central Corridor were flat compared to last quarter as improvements in secondary products were mostly offset by lower volumes due to plant turnarounds at the Ponca City and Borger refineries.[418]
April 30, 2015: Ponca Refinery Earns $57 million, Continues in Top Slot as Phillips' Most Profitable Refinery
Phillips 66 reported their first quarter earnings for 2015 on April 30, 2015 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show the Ponca City Refinery is still the most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. The Ponca City Refinery earned $57 million for Phillips in the first quarter of 2015 for an annualized profit of $230 million.[419]
The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the first quarter of 2015 are:[420]
- Ponca City Refinery - $230 million
- Wilmington Refinery - $188 million
- Bayway Refinery - $185 million
- Wood River refinery - $184 million
- Humber Refinery - $172 million
See Appendix 3 for detailed calculations:
April 24, 2015: Maintenance Continues on 90,000 b/d Hydrotreater at Ponca City Refinery
Platts reported on April 24, 2015 that maintenance continues on a 90,000 b/d hydrotreater at Phillips 66's Ponca City, Oklahoma, refinery. A hydrotreater reduces sulfur and nitrogen to produce high specification distillates.[421]
April 17, 2015: Phillips 66 says 25,000 Gallons of Diesel Leaked near Wood River Refinery
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on April 17, 2015 that Phillips 66 estimates about 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaked on April 17, 2015 into the Cahokia Canal, a waterway that drains into the Mississippi River prompting the Coast Guard to close a 35-mile section of the river. Phillips 66 discovered a leak in a pipeline that runs from its storage terminal to a barge loading dock at about 8:45 a.m.. The pipeline was shut off immediately and by 10 a.m. the company confirmed the leak had stopped. The barge loading dock is offline while the company continues to investigate the cause of the leak. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Kim Biggs in an email her agency, the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard were all on site responding to the spill.[422]
The spill has forced the closing of the river to boat and barge traffic from Hartford, Illinois, to beyond the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. Officials don't want the boats to transport any of the spilled fuel farther downstream. The Coast Guard has not yet discovered any birds or fish that have been harmed.[423]
April 13, 2015: Oppenheimer Says Phillips May Divest Refining Assets in the Future
Anthony Sanfilippo wrote at Benzinga on April 13, 2015 that Oppenheimer issued a company update on Phillips 66 after analysts met with company management and that Oppenheimer believes that Phillips 66 may divest refining assets in the future while increasing their leverage to fund future growth. Oppenheimer Analysts Fadel Gheit and Luis Amadeo wrote, “PSX has a more favorable view on midstream, which is relatively stable compared to refining and generates returns on capital in the 10-12 percent range vs. 8-10 percent for refining. In the long term, PSX believes that refining margins will be flat and challenged. In the near term, DCP is facing several headwinds from the decline in commodity prices, the downgrade of its credit rating, and a capital-constrained partner. PSX would like to inject capital into DCP but doesn't want to have to consolidate the debt.”[424]
April 2, 2015: Ponca City Employees In Bartlesville Affected By ConocoPhillips Cut
The Ponca City News reported on April 2, 2015 the ConocoPhillips' reduction in force has affected some employees commuting from Ponca City to Bartlesville for a number of years. A Ponca City woman employee, who did not want to be identified told The News, she was terminated from ConocoPhillips and sent home with others from the Bartlesville operations by cab. The 28-year employee, who had car-pooled, was terminated April 1, 2015 and transported back to Ponca City in a cab paid for by the company. A spokesman for ConocoPhillips said, “Within Bartlesville, less than 4 percent of our employees will be impacted by these workforce reductions. Anytime you have to do these kinds of reductions, it’s always very difficult.”[425]
March 23, 2015: Phillips Reports FCCU Regenerator Upset at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips 66 reported an FCCU regenerator Upset at Ponca City Refinery on March 23, 2015.[426]
March 23, 2015: Operations at Ponca City Refinery Have Improved with Crude from Nearby Mississippian Lime Shale
Reuters reported on March 23, 2015 that Phillips 66 has added trucks and offloading equipment at several of its refineries including the Ponca City refinery to help reduce its reliance on oil coming from Cushing, Oklahoma, the nation's biggest crude oil crossroads and storage hub. At Cushing, a growing volume of Canadian oil sands is often mixed with lighter domestic shale crude, resulting in blends that can be less profitable than similar oil fresh from the field. While the blends of these crudes may technically meet the API gravity ceiling of 42 at Cushing, industry players say the mixes can be inconsistent in makeup and generate less income because the most desirable stuff is often missing. The blends tend to produce a higher proportion of fuel at two ends of the spectrum: light ends like gasoline, demand for which has dimmed in recent years, and lower-value heavy products like fuel oil and asphalt. What's missing are middle distillates like diesel, where growing demand and profitability lies. "You end up with a dumbbell-like material rich in front and back ends, neither of which refineries find most profitable," said Dennis Sutton, a former chemist and retired crude quality expert with Marathon Petroleum Corp who now heads the Crude Oil Quality Association.
Phillips 66 executives say operations at its 200,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma, only 62 miles (100 km) from Cushing, have improved since it began getting more of its crude directly from wells in the Mississippian Lime shale patch nearby. "That's really the key," Phillips 66 President Tim Taylor told Reuters. "With Cushing, you can get a blended barrel that hits the spec, but it's not as consistent as you'd like."[427]
March 12, 2015: Union Says Tentative Agreement Reached to End US Refinery Strike
Reuters reported on March 12, 2015 that the United Steelworkers union and oil companies have reached a tentative deal to end the largest U.S. refinery strike in 35 years, say people familiar with the negotiations. The tentative contract contains language that addresses worker fatigue, which is tied to accidents, and the use of contractors versus unionized labor. It also safeguards gains made in previous contracts, the union and sources said. They added that annual wage increases would be 2.5 percent in the first year, 3 percent each in years two and three, and 3.5 percent in the fourth year. The deal, which still needs to be ratified, may not end strikes right away at all refineries that have suffered walkouts as local union chapters could still need to work out pending issues. "We salute the solidarity exhibited by our membership," said USW International President Leo Gerard. "There was no way we would have won vast improvements in safety and staffing without it."[428]
March 11, 2015: Phillips Reports FCCU Regenerator Start-Up at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips 66 reported an FCCU Regenerator start-up at Ponca City Refinery on March 11, 2015.[429]
March 11, 2015: Union Signals Possible Proposal Coming That Will End US Refinery Strike
Reuters reported on March 11, 2015 that the United Steelworkers union (USW) signaled that lead refinery owner representative Shell Oil Co may offer a possible settlement in the coming days that could end the largest refinery strike in 35 years. In a message issued on Wednesday night, the union said it was assembling its policy committee, which represents the rank and file, to review proposals from industry during contract talks. The national agreement being negotiated by the USW and Shell Oil will set the floor on pay and benefits as well as set standards on some safety issues. That agreement must be combined with agreements on local issues at each refinery and chemical plant and then voted on by the membership of the local union for the contract to take effect at each site. At the striking plants, it would likely take about two weeks for approval of a contract and the return of workers to their jobs.[430]
March 9, 2015: Board of Directors Cuts CEO Greg Garland's Bonus By 35 percent after Phillips' Poor Stock Performance in 2014
Reuters reported on March 9, 2015 that Phillips 66's Board of Directors cut Chief Executive Greg Garland's bonus pay by 35 percent in 2014, citing market conditions and stock performance. While the company performed well against financial and operational targets, the filing states, "market conditions and stock performance at the end of 2014 did not, in the Compensation Committee's view, justify a full payout" of the incentive pay that Garland and other top executives were eligible to receive.
Garland received a total of $24.5 million for the year, up from $19.8 million in 2013, driven largely by a higher value calculated for future pension payments. Garland's base salary rose to $1.51 million in 2014 from $1.44 million in 2013. But the value of incentive payments to Garland fell to $2.66 million in 2014 from $4.11 million in 2013. [431]
February 23, 2015: USW Workers on Strike at Twelve Refineries Nationwide
Reuters reported on February 23, 2015 that as of February 23, 2015 USW workers are on strike at the following twelve refineries and petrochemical facilities involving 6,000 workers. Motiva issued a statement saying that its labor contract with the union at the Port Arthur facility expired at midnight on Friday and that contracts for its facilities in Norco and Convent, Louisiana expired on Saturday. Strike organizers said that workers remained in place at the two other Motiva refineries in Louisiana as of Monday morning. The refineries affected nationwide include[432]
- Motive Port Arthur refinery in Port Arthur, Texas
- LyondellBasell in Houston, Texas;
- Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas;
- Marathon Houston Green Cogeneration facility, Texas City, Texas;
- Marathon Refinery, Catlettsburg, Ky.;
- Shell Deer Park Refinery, Deer Park, Texas;
- Shell Deer Park Chemical Plant, Deer Park, Texas;
- Tesoro Anacortes Refinery, Anacortes, Wash.;
- Tesoro Martinez Refinery, Martinez, Calif.; and
- Tesoro Carson Refinery, Carson, Calif.
- BP Refinery, Witing, Ind.
- BP Refinery, Toledo Ohio
February 21, 2015: Phillips Plans to Restart FCCU at Ponca City Refinery After Unit Overheated
Phillips shut the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) at its Ponca City, Oklahoma refinery this week after the unit overheated, according to a person familiar with the plant’s operations. The refinery plans to restart the unit Saturday, the person said. Phillips previously said planned maintenance was underway at the plant.[433]
February 21, 2015: Strike Expands to Additional Refineries Including the Nations Largest Refinery at Port Arthur, Texas
Reuters reported on February 21, 2015 that US refinery strike widened as workers walked off their jobs at the nation's largest refinery, Motiva's 600,250 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. The strike may complicate operations at the Port Arthur refinery, which failed to restore its second largest crude distillation unit (CDU) to full production after restarting on Friday following a three-day shutdown to fix leaking piping, sources told Reuters. The refinery's largest CDU, which has a rated capacity of 325,000 bpd is running at about 200,000 bpd, the sources said, because a 60,000 bpd hydrocracking unit is shut due to a malfunction. The hydrocracker produces motor fuel, primarily diesel, which has become a lucrative export for U.S. refiners. Motiva is also overhauling the 92,000 bpd gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracking unit at the refinery. It is scheduled to restart in the first half of March. It was shut in early January.
The USW also gave notices on Friday of strikes to begin in 24 hours at Motiva's 235,000 bpd Convent, Louisiana and 238,000 bpd Norco, Louisiana refineries and the Shell Oil Co chemical plant in Norco, the union said. "The industry’s refusal to meaningfully address safety issues through good faith bargaining gave us no other option but to expand our work stoppage," USW International President Leo Gerard said in a statement. A Shell spokesman said the company was disappointed by the Port Arthur walkout and strike notices to the Louisiana plants. "We believe this move sets the wrong tone for both parties to move forward and reach an agreement," said Shell spokesman Ray Fisher. "We remain committed to continued safe operations and productive negotiations."[434]
February 16, 2015: US Refinery Strike Could Spread Over Safe Staffing
Reuters reported on February 16, 2015 that with bout 5,200 workers from nine refineries walking picket lines, a strike by US refinery workers that entered its 16th day could spread if there is no progress in talks this week with plant owners on safe staffing levels, said the lead negotiator for the United Steelworkers union (USW). "The longer that this strike rolls on, the more people that will be affected," said Gary Beevers, USW international vice president. For the union, the use of non-union contractors and lack of an industry-wide policy on preventing worker fatigue are key obstacles to safe staffing. "We're going to talk about safe staffing one way or the other," Beevers said.[435]
February 15, 2015: Managers Bunk Down at US Refineries Amid Safety Concerns as Strike Enters Third Week
Reuters reported on February 15, 2015 that US oil refinery managers are going to the mats, sleeping on recently purchased mattresses inside rental trailers inside the refineries, during the biggest fight with union workers in 35 years, as the strike enters its third week and experts and some employees say raises concerns over safety and operations. John Ostberg, a non-union control engineer who works in the main computerized control center at Toledo, quit his job on Monday weeks before he was scheduled to retire. For months, Ostberg has been warning his bosses in emails about their plans to rely on replacement workers and supervisors if a strike occurred. He feared they were not properly trained, or too far removed from the frontlines, to respond to unit upsets and other problems that can escalate quickly without experienced intervention. “Management says it’s safe. I disagree,” said Ostberg a 56-year-old engineer who worked at Toledo since 1980 and helped run the refinery operating center, known locally as the ROC, the heart of the plant. Behind a blast-proof wall, Ostberg and others monitor the dozens of units that populate the refinery to ensure things are running properly and alert USW workers manning the units when they are not. “I sit behind a blast-proof wall, so I’m not worried about my safety," says Ostberg. "But I fear for everyone else.”
In dozens of interviews with local USW workers, craftsman and experts, a portrait of the day-to-day role they play emerges: monitoring large electronic boards that detect problems, turning valves, checking the quality of refined products and overseeing work permits. But their biggest contribution, the people say, is serving as the refinery’s frontline defense when things go wrong. At least three of the nine U.S. oil refineries targeted by a nationwide strike of USW members have reported upsets and unplanned repairs since their workers walked out on Feb 1. There is no indication of what caused the upsets, none of which resulted in any harm or serious damage to equipment.[436]
February 8, 2015: Workers Expand Strike to Two More Refineries
AP reported on February 8, 2015 that members of the United Steelworkers union walked off their jobs at refineries in Whiting, Indiana, and Toledo, Ohio, joining a walkout that began this week at nine other refineries. BP’s Whiting refinery employs about 1,860 employees, more than 1,000 of whom are represented by the steelworkers. The Toledo refinery, which it owns 50-50 with Canada’s Husky Energy, has about 600 workers, including more than 300 steelworkers. Union spokeswoman Lynne Hancock said the workers are seeking better health care benefits and limits on the use of contractors to replace union members in maintenance jobs. She said wages are not an issue. The Whiting and Toledo plants will be staffed by replacements including retirees and former front-line workers who now hold salaried jobs, said BP spokesman Scott Dean.[437]
February 7, 2015: Phillips 66 Refinery Workers Stage Informational Picket in Billings to Highlight Understaffing, Safety, and Fatigue
KXLH reported on February 7, 2015 that about 70 union workers and their families held an informational picket for solidarity holding signs reading "Solidarity is Strength" and "Understaffing does not equal Safe Refineries." Billings is home to a Phillips 66 refinery.
President of the local group for Phillips 66 with United Steel Workers Wade Johnson said its also a display of community. Johnson added that "a safe community is important to the guys who work at this plant, it always has been. We take that very seriously," Johnson said. "And understaffing is a serious threat to community and the safety of the community." When asked why understaffing was a threat, Johnson said workers get fatigued. "On paper, these facilities tell us that they're giving us enough staffing. But then they'll pull 10 to 15 percent of the people out on any given week to do other projects. Other people have to cover that with overtime," Johnson said. "I just think we want folks to know that we're part of this community," he said. "All of these actions across the country are community actions. We're trying to get local folks hired at these facilities and we're trying to get enough of us hired so we're not always tired."[438]
February 6, 2015: Refinery Workers Strike to Extend to Next Week
The Hill reported on February 6, 2015 that workers at nine oil refineries will carry on their strike until next week after their union rejected the sixth contract offer from Royal Dutch Shell. “The parties have recessed and have agreed to resume talks,” said Shell spokesman Ray Fisher. The union wants more rules to reduce worker fatigue, a 6 percent pay bump and measures to prioritize union members for work over contract workers. The 50 percent drop in oil prices is making negotiating tougher for the union than in previous negotiating attempts a giving Shell a major bargaining chip, Reuters said.[439]
On February 4, 2015, two refineries affected by the strike - Tesoro Corp's Los Angeles-area refinery in Carson, California, and Marathon Petroleum Corp's Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas - reported leaks to regulators. Strikes could complicate the ability of the companies to carry out maintenance work after the upsets, analysts say.[440]
February 4, 2015: Workers at Phillips' Santa Maria Refinery Show Solidarity with Striking Union Workers
The New Times reports that since January 28, 2015 a rotating group of members the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 534 chapter have been picketing at the gates of the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery in Nipomo to show solidarity with the work stoppage involving roughly 3,800 workers at nine refineries that started on February 1, 2015. “We are just picketing and not on strike yet, but it’s important for us to express ourselves and show solidarity with the USW,” said Juan Zepeda, the financial secretary/treasurer of the local USW chapter and a sulfur plant operator at the Santa Maria Refinery. “The picketing shows [Phillips 66] that they haven’t torn us apart yet.” “At this time, there hasn’t yet been a decision to expand the work stoppage,” said Nashville-based USW spokeswoman Lynne Hancock. “More refineries could soon join the strike if necessary, but that decision would be made at the national level.”
“Once national bargaining is completed, Phillips 66 will be negotiating a new bargaining contract with the local USW unions that represent each of our refineries covered by expiring contracts,” says Phillips 66 spokesman Dennis Nuss. “We are committed to reaching a new agreement that is good for our employees and protects the future of some of the best jobs in American industry. “We are hopeful that we can achieve this goal without any interruption to our operations,” he added. “In addition to competitive wages and benefits, we expect the next contract to support our local efforts to improve safety and productivity.”[441]
February 4, 2015: Workers at Phillips' Santa Maria Refinery Say Biggest Issue for Union is 'Fatigue Policy'
Outside the Santa Maria Refinery, Zepeda said 10 to 15 workers have been picketing every day for about a week, adding that—other than showing solidarity—the local USW chapter’s biggest issue is installing a new “fatigue policy” to give overworked employees some relief. “I can work anywhere from 110 to 148 hours in a two-week period, and that’s typical—it’s almost impossible for refinery workers to have family time,” Zepeda said. “You can only squeeze a nickel so hard before it starts to hurt the other side. “It’s also a ticking time bomb, it’s a refinery where a lot can go up in flames,” he added. “You’ve got to have people that are alert and have their wits about them—you can’t live with some zombie at the controls.”[442]
February 3, 2015: Tesoro's Martinez Refinery Shuts Down as Oil Workers Strike Goes Into Second Day
Bloomberg reported on February 3, 2015 that Tesoro Corp. is shutting half of its 166,000-barrel-a-day Martinez plant in California that wasn’t already idled for maintenance. The facility already had about half its processing capacity offline for maintenance. The company has “successfully transitioned and are operating” the Anacortes and Carson refineries, said Tesoro spokeswoman Tina Barbee.
Management has taken control of operations at six other refineries after union workers walked out of the plants in the biggest strike since 1980. At Marathon’s 451,000-barrel-a-day Galveston Bay refinery, as many as 45 union workers were taking turns picketing in four-hour shifts. David Jones, a 56-year-old pipefitter who has worked at the refinery for almost half his life, said many of the refinery’s supervisors have never worked its processors and other complex machinery before, or at least in many years. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the place isn’t running in a couple weeks,” Jones said. “It’s a very complicated facility. It’s not like getting in a car and driving away.” More refineries are standing by to join the sites on strike, according to two people familiar with the plan who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. Refiners may cut operating rates “a little” during the strike, says John Auers. “They won’t push the units as hard. The key will be to run them reliably and safely.”[443]
February 1, 2015: Union Workers Go On Strike at Nine Refineries
Reuters reported on February 2, 2015 that union workers were on strike for a second day on Monday at nine U.S. refineries and chemical plants as they sought a new national contract with oil companies covering laborers at 63 plants. Shell activated a strike contingency plan at its joint venture refinery and chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas, to keep operating normally. Tesoro said management was operating its refinery in Carson, California, and that managers would take over from union workers at its plant in Anacortes, Washington, in the next 24-48 hours. Besides Shell and Tesoro, the USW said strikes were called at three plants belonging to Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC.N) in Texas and Kentucky, and LyondellBasell Industries NV's (LYB.N) plant near Houston. At least two of the plants on the list have a history of deadly accidents. The United Steelworkers said all other refineries it represents would operate under rolling 24-hour contract extensions. The union is seeking annual pay raises double the size of those in the last agreement. It also wants work that has been given in the past to non-union contractors to start going to USW members, a tighter policy to prevent workplace fatigue, and reductions in members' out-of-pocket payments for healthcare.[444]
January 30, 2015: Union Workers Reject Oil Companies' Offer as Contract Set to Expire
Reuters reported on January 30, 2015 that union negotiators said the latest proposal from oil companies for a new three-year contract for U.S. refinery workers was rejected on Friday because it failed meet to members' objectives. The announcement came 28 hours before the current contract covering hourly workers at 63 refineries accounting for two-thirds of U.S. refinery capacity is set to expire. "Industry's latest offer fails to address issues that matter to USW members," said the text message to union members, which was also sent to the media. "All units instructed to reject." This is third offer from lead industry negotiator Royal Dutch Shell Plc that USW negotiators have rejected since talks began on Jan. 21. The USW is seeking annual pay raises double those of the last agreement negotiated in 2012. It also wants work that has been given in the past to non-union contractors to start going to USW members along with a tighter policy to prevent workplace fatigue and reductions in members' out-of-pocket payments for healthcare. The union and refineries have both prepared for a possible strike, which the union signaled on Monday may be needed to win concessions from the oil companies.[445]
January 30, 2015: Attucks Community Alliance in Ponca City Receives $20,000 from Phillips for CPR Equipment and Training
The Ponca City News reported on January 30, 2015 that Phillips donated $20,000 to the Attucks Community Center to provide CPR and AED training for organizations on the west and south side of Ponca City. Dave Klanica, manager Health and Safety, Phillips 66 Ponca City Refinery stated “We are pleased to work with Attucks Community Alliance and selected organizations on this project. There are organizations that serve high volumes of people such as The Mission, The Senior Center, The Salvation Army, Friendship Feast, Attucks Community Center, and others. If, through this small investment of time and money we can save one life we are more than glad that we can make an important difference.”[446]
January 29, 2015: Ponca City Refinery Continues to be Phillips 66's Most Profitable Refinery
Phillips 66 reported their fourth quarter earnings for 2014 on January 29, 2015 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show the Ponca City Refinery is still the most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. The Ponca City Refinery earned $42 million for Phillips in the fourth quarter of 2014 for an annualized profit of $170 million. Phillips' Bayway Refinery in Linden, NJ was the second most profitable with $40 million in earnings for Phillips in the fourth quarter of 2014 for an annualized profit of $161 million.[447]
The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the fourth quarter of 2014 are:[448]
- Ponca City Refinery - $170 million
- Bayway Refinery - $161 million
- Humber Refinery - $149 million
- Wood River refinery - $131 million
- Billings Refinery - $101 million
See Appendix 2 for detailed calculations:
January 27, 2015: Ponca City's Joint Water Line Rehabilitation Project With Phillips 66 Recognized with Engineering Award
The Ponca City News reported on January 27, 2015 that a $1,566,199 joint project between the City of Ponca City and Phillips 66 to rehabilitate an 80 year old sanitary sewer line that ran through the Ponca City Refinery was awarded the Grand Conceptor Award as the number one project of the year in Oklahoma at a meeting of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies. “When we walked into the room, we were told that they were having some difficulty in determining what projects would finish in the top five or the top ten, but that they already knew who number one was,” said City Manager Craig Stephenson. The dilapidated existing line had been was highly susceptible to groundwater infiltration and often backed up due to broken of missing portions of piping. The project was accomplished by replacing 6,680 linear feet of line in varying diameter. Instead of simply digging into the ground to replace the pipe, bursting was done below ground suing trench-less construction, with cure-in-place pipe utilized for spots with minimal construction space.[449]
January 26, 2015: Refinery Workers May Have to Strike
Reuters reported on January 26, 2015 that the United Steelworkers union (USW) signaled on January 26, 2015 a strike by U.S. refinery workers may be necessary to win what it calls a fair contract from oil companies. "Challenging bargaining continues," the USW said in a text message to members on Monday night. "Industry still isn't getting serious. Local unions are preparing to do whatever it takes to win fair contracts." Union and oil company negotiators met for a sixth day of negotiations on Monday ahead of the current contract expiring at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday in the time zone where each refinery is located. Refineries have been preparing for a possible strike by training temporary replacement workers and by placing trailers on refinery grounds as quarters for the replacement workers.[450]
January 25, 2015: With One Week of Bargaining Left, Refinery Workers Union Says Talks Are Going Slow
Reuters reported on January 25, 2015 that wiith just a week of bargaining left until the national contract for U.S. refinery workers expires, the United Steelworkers union (USW) said talks with oil company representatives for a new pact were going slow, according to a Twitter message sent to members. "It's time for the industry to get serious about addressing issues that matter to USW members," the message said. "Be ready to stand up and fight back!" The USW rejected the first industry proposal on January 23, 2015, calling it "inadequate and offensive," according to a message sent to members. The Steelworkers are seeking annual pay raises double those of the last agreement. The union also wants work given to non-union contractors to go to USW members, a tighter policy to prevent fatigue and reductions in members' out-of-pocket payments for health care. The union and refiners have made preparations for a possible strike in February. The last nationwide refinery workers' strike was in 1980 and lasted for three months.[451]
January 22, 2015: Phillips Makes $75,000 Grant in Ponca City for Playground Equipment at Grant Park
The Ponca City News reported on January 22, 2015 that Phillips 66 made a grant of $75,000 to the City of Ponca City to install new playground equipment at McGraw Park. “The City of Ponca City and the Parks and Recreation Department are happy to have received this grant. This opportunity will allow us to install playground equipment that we had not planned to do in the near future,” says Jim Sindelar, Parks and Recreation Director, who applied for a one-time special grant offered by Phillips 66 for Environmental and Safety related project. “Phillips 66 is glad that we could be a part of this project. This is just one way that we, Phillips 66, show our investment in the community," says Sara King, Environmental Manager at Phillips' Ponca City Refinery. "Playground parks, like the future one at McGraw Park, provide a place for our families to exercise, socialize, and enjoy the outdoors. Phillips 66 is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where we live and do business.”[452]
The Ponca City Refinery is Phillips 66's most profitable refinery earning $83,000,000 in profit for Phillips in the third quarter of 2014 for an annualized profit of $331,000,000.[453][454] In August, 2014 Phillips made a $1,700,000 grant to Bartlesville Public Schools to create new innovative laboratories on three school campuses to support science, technology, engineering and math classes and research projects. Ponca City's grant application for a similar program was turned down by Phillips 66.[455]
December 19, 2014: Phillips in Joint Venture with Chevron to Build New Polyethylene Pilot Plant in Bartlesville
The Tulsa World reported on December 19, 2014 that Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP, a partnership between Phillips 66 and Chevron, plans to build a polyethylene pilot plant at its research and technology facility in Bartlesville that should be completed in 2017. The new facility will be focused on developing improvements in current resins or new polymer kind of innovations. “As a global producer of polyethylene, we strive to support our customers with the latest technological advances and process improvements through the efforts of our research and development personnel,” said Don Lycette, vice president of research and technology for Chevron Phillips Chemical, in a written statement. “Chevron Phillips Chemical continues to build on a long history of scientific discoveries, particularly at our facility in Bartlesville, which was originally built in 1950 by Phillips Petroleum Co.” The new pilot plant, replacing one built in the 1970s, will incorporate Chevron Phillips Chemical’s proprietary MarTech process for polyethylene production and technology that enables production of bimodal polyethylene resins for advanced applications.[456]
Philips CEO Greg Garland previously talked about the expansion at the Research Center in Bartlesville when he spoke to the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce in August 2014. At the same meeting, Garland spoke about Phillips' 500,000 square feet of empty office space in Ponca City at the North Tower, South Tower, and Research West and his plans to work with the Ponca City Development Authority (PCDA) and the State of Oklahoma to find tenants for the space who will bring jobs and development to Ponca City.[457]
December 11, 2014: LSP-Naptha Splitter On its Way to Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on December 11, 2014 that a 241-foot long, 639,000 pound LSP-Naptha Splitter is on its way from Emporia, Kansas to the Ponca City Refinery at the "blistering pace of 15mph" along Highway 60. The second portion of the splitter is due to be delivered later in December.[458]
December 10, 2014: Ponca City Refinery Had Three Minor Injuries in 2014
Refinery Manager Tim Seidel told the Lions Club on December 10, 2014 that workers at the Ponca City Refinery had 3 minor injuries in 2014 where employees were back to work in 24 hours. Seidel added that the Ponca City refinery will have 18 turnarounds in 2015 where they shut down a unit, clear it, work on it, and restart the unit. The refinery will see 3 large capital projects with return in 2015. Seidel also said that there was quite a bit of turnover in 2014 with 5 of 8 members of the leadership team changing along with all 5 manager positions.[459]
November 10, 2014: 450 Contract Employees Walk Out at Humber Refinery Over Safety Concerns
BBC reported on November 10, 2014 that 450 contract workers walked out at Phillips 66's Humber Refinery on November 10, 2014. The "unofficial" action is over communication issues at the site. However the GMB union says it's over safety concerns after a gas leak at the site last week in which two men were injured. Phillips 66 confirmed there had been "a small gas release on a unit during some routine maintenance work at the Humber Refinery" last Wednesday. "All we want is a reassurance that the site is safe [and] some safety issues addressed. Unfortunately, the employer has failed to do that and because of that then men have reacted," said GMB union officer Shaune Clarkson. "This is the straw that's broke the camel's back." A company spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that earlier today, at approximately midday, a number of contract workers left site in unofficial action. "We have been in ongoing dialogue with contractor management over the last week to discuss their issues, many of which relate to onsite communications, and will continue to work with them to reach a satisfactory conclusion."[460]
November 1, 2014: US Refinery Union Workers Seek Substantial Raises
Hydrocarbon Processing reported on November 3, 2014 that United Steelworkers, which represents about two-thirds of workers at US refineries, said its members want a “substantial” increase in wages, stronger rules to prevent fatigue and measures to keep union workers rather than contract employees on the job, said Gary Beevers, the USW international vice president who manages the union’s oil sector. Beevers said the union is ready for the biggest fight in his time as leader. For the first time in at least 20 years, members decided to set aside funds for workers should they have to strike. “The last two cycles of bargaining happened when the economy was rough, and we tried to find some reasonable solutions and we did,” Beevers said. “Today, the oil industry is making good money. The price of oil is down. It’s time that we get serious about some things we’ve seen erode over the last several years.”[461]
Phillips 66, the largest US refining company by market value, more than doubled profits in the third quarter as crude costs fell. Tesoro and Marathon quadrupled their net income. Beevers said he senses that refiners are “looking for a fight” in this cycle of contract talks. “I’m expecting the most difficult negotiations that I’ve seen in the three terms as vice president of the oil sector,” he said. “We have an industry that has very, very good profits telling us we don’t deserve a good piece of the pie, and we disagree.”[462]
October 29, 2014: Ponca City Refinery Continues to be Phillips 66's Most Profitable Refinery
Phillips 66 reported their third quarter earnings for 2014 on October 29, 2014 and the results of analysis of earnings for Phillips' Refining Business Segment show the Ponca City Refinery is still the most profitable of Phillips' fifteen worldwide refineries. The Ponca City Refinery earned $83 million for Phillips in the third quarter of 2014 for an annualized profit of $331 million. Phillips' Wood River Refinery in Roxanna, IL was the second most profitable with $64 million in earnings for Phillips in the third quarter of 2014 for an annualized profit of $256 million. The Ponca City Refinery exceeded the annualized profitability of the Wood River Refinery by $75 million and was 30% more profitable than the Wood River Refinery.[463][464]
The annualized profit of Phillips 66's five most profitable refineries for the third quarter of 2014 are:[465][466]
- Ponca City Refinery - $331 million
- Wood River refinery - $256 million
- Bayway Refinery - $221 million
- Humber Refinery - $205 million
- Billings Refinery - $197 million
See Appendix 1 for detailed calculations:
October 29, 2014: Phillips 66 is Committed to Ponca City
The Ponca City News reported on October 29, 2014 that Phillips 66 acts as a responsible corporate citizen and good neighbor to Ponca City where its employees live and work promoting positive community interactions through charitable contributions, volunteerism, sponsorships, and civic leadership to help improve the quality of life for employees and citizens and support programs that provide sustainable community development that benefit the community consistent with Phillips' three core values: Safety, Commitment, and Honor.[467]
The Phillips 66 Ponca City Refinery supports many organizations with significant philanthropic donations and in-kind support with a focus on giving that includes Northern Oklahoma College, Ponca City Public Schools, Standing Bear Native American Foundation; Attucks Community Alliance; United Way (donations/gifts from employees and retirees will exceed $200,000); YMCA of Ponca City; Marland Mansion; Friends of Education; Literacy Council; Opportunity Center; Ponca City Main Street – Veteran’s Plaza. In addition to monetary donations, Phillips 66 Ponca City provides many in-kind donations to not-for-profit organizations, schools, and volunteer fire departments. The firm supports not-for-organizations such as Ponca City Community Concerts, United Way, Standing Bear Pow-Wow, Oklahoma Safety Council, Black Liberated Arts Center, Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame, and others with in-kind printing at a combined cost of more than $100,000.[468]
Phillips 66 Ponca City Refinery recently welcomed new leaders at the Ponca City Refinery. Tim Seidel was named the new refinery manager. Seidel had served a member of the refinery leadership prior to becoming Ponca City. Seidel and his wife are active in the community and Seidel serves on multiple boards with the City and State. According to the Ponca City News, Seidel and his family have been in Ponca City "for almost five years". According to Seidel's resume he was Site Manager at Santa Maria Refinery until February 2012 and had lived in Ponca City for two years and nine months at the time this article appeared.[469][470]
October 20, 2014: EPA Reports that Ponca City Refinery Produced Over 2.2 Million Metric Tons of CO2 in 2013
The Associated Press reported on October 20, 2014 that the EPA had released its emissions data for 2013 showing that Phillips 66's Ponca City Refinery is the largest polluter in Kay County producing 2,059,647 metric tons of CO2 from petroleum production and 166,255 metric tons of CO2 from Hydrogen production in 2013 for total CO2 emissions of 2,225,902 metric tons of CO2 in 2013. The Continental Carbon Company Plant, the second largest polluter in Kay County, produced 235,937 metric tons of CO2 in 2013. Pollutants from Phillips' Ponca City Refinery have increased from approximately 2 million metric tons in 2012, 1.7 million metric tons of pollutants in 2011, and 1.8 million metric tons of pollutants in 2010. Facilities that release 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide or its equivalent are required to report emissions to the EPA each year. The federal agency has collected such data for four years.[471][472]
September 28, 2014: Tulsa World Says Phillips Seems to Be Firing on All Cylinders
Rod Walton reported in the Tulsa World on September 28, 2014 that Philips seems to be firing on all cylinders tripling its stock price since it became an independent company in spring 2012 and increasing its dividend by nearly a third just this year. Keith Goddard, CEO of Capital Advisors Inc., ranked Phillips 66 as his No. 2 stock for the Tulsa World Investment Guide because of its diversity beyond crude oil refining and retail outlets. “Phillips 66 is distinguished from other refiners by its heavier interest in chemical and midstream operations,” Goddard said. “The company hopes to increase its presence in both businesses over the next several years to dampen the volatility of the refinery business.” Goddard sees strength in that potential diversity of Phillips 66. “If management is successful in growing the midstream and chemical businesses over the next few years, the valuation multiple for the stock might improve,” he said.[473]
September 26, 2014: Tallgrass Pony Express Considers Expansion of Pipeline to Ponca City Refinery
Natural Gas Intel reported on September 26, 2014 that Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline LLC which already has the 690-mile long Pony Express Pipeline due to begin operation on October 1, 2014 with delivery points at Phillips 66's refinery at Ponca City, OK, and at Kinder Morgan's Deeprock oil storage facility at Cushing is proposing to more than double the capacity of its crude oil pipeline system by expanding into several areas of Colorado and Wyoming, including the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, the Niobrara and Codell formations, the Bakken Shale and the Powder River Basin. Pony Express said it has been in talks with prospective shippers for a proposed capacity expansion of up to 400,000 b/d. The company said that if it secures commitments, it would conduct a binding open season -- more than likely in November -- where it would seek shipper commitments to transport crude oil to multiple potential delivery points.[474]
According to Pony Express, the proposed expansion would be operational by the second half of 2016 and would include the construction of new pipeline facilities. The company added that from mid-2015 until the new facilities are placed into service, shippers committed to the expansion would have access to approximately 100,000 b/d of interim increased capacity on the current Pony Express system, in proportion to their volumetric commitment to the expansion. "This short-term capacity increase is expected to be primarily achieved through the use of drag reducing agent on the existing system," Pony Express said.[475]
September 25, 2014: Garland Places Ethics and Safety at the Top of His List
The Daily Cougar reported on September 25, 2014 that Phillips CEO Greg Garland spoke to students at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston on September 23, 2014 about the importance of ethical responsibility in the business world and the place of responsible, socially conscious decisions in modern commercial enterprise as part of the school’s ongoing “Distinguished Leaders Program." “You’ve got to have high standards if you’re going to be ethical. It has to start at the very top,” Garland said. “(I) fundamentally disagree with people who say that energy companies can’t be good corporate citizens … I think that good ethics makes for good business.” Garland stressed that aside from being the responsible and morally correct decision, good ethical business and environmental safety is also profitable long-term. “We have people who invest literally billions of dollars in our company, and I want them to know they’re investing in safety,” Garland said. “One major accident can absolutely devastate shareholder value.” Garland also offered some words of encouragement to UH students entering the energy industry. “Your education is actually just the launching pad for a lifetime and career of learning in this industry,” Garland said. “And if you’re at the top of your class, I want to talk to you after the show.”[476]
September 22, 2014: Pony Express Pipeline to Ponca City Refinery to Start Shipments on October 1
Prairie Business reported on September 22, 2014 that Tallgrass Energy submitted tariffs to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on September 19, 2014 for its 230,000 barrels-per-day Pony Express crude oil pipeline from Guernsey, Wyoming, to the Phillips 66 refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma, or Deeprock Terminal in Cushing, Oklahoma. Pony Express includes a 430-mile converted natural gas pipeline and a new 260-mile line that will carry light crude in North Dakota's Bakken shale plays. The startup date for the pipeline for committed shippers is November 1 while "walk-up" or uncommitted shipments will begin October 1. The timing of the line has been closely watched by oil traders, who expect that its commencement will help boost stockpiles in Cushing, which have fallen to multi-year lows and put more pressure on U.S. prices.[477]
September 4, 2014: Phillips Reports Unit Shutdown at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported a unit shutdown led to carbon monoxide emissions on September 4, 2014 according to a filing with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.[478]
September 3, 2014: Truck Loading Facility at Ponca City Refinery to Have 100,000 b/d Capability by mid-2015
Greg Garland told analysts at Barclays CEO Energy-Power Conference on September 3, 2014 that Phillips has invested in a truck loading facility at the Ponca City Refinery for indigenous Oklahoma crudes with a capability of 70,000 barrels a day, that by mid-2015 the facility will have a capability of 100,000 barrels a day, and that the Magellan pipe will bring another 20,000 barrels a day to Ponca City. "So, we're buying indigenous Oklahoma crudes at the wellhead, very consistent product, we know what we're getting and that's translating into better yields at the refinery, good throughputs," said Garland. "And so, as we go to wellhead and buy, we know the crude, the quality of the crude that's coming in, and [have] another opportunity to leverage our expertise in our commercial business into our refining business."[479]
August 13, 2014: Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland Wants to Find a Company to Lease the North and South Towers
Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland spoke to over 250 community leaders at the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce on August 13, 2014 about initiatives Phillips is taking to benefit communities in the state of Oklahoma including Phillips 66's new initiative to expand the Research Center in Bartlesville and Phillips 66's gift of $1.7 million to Bartlesville Public Schools to create new innovative laboratories on three school campuses to support science, technology, engineering and math classes and research projects.[496][497]
With regard to Ponca City, Garland announced at the forum that Phillips 66 has been working hard with state and local officials to figure out what to do with the North and South Towers and if Phillips and Ponca City can find a company or companies that would like to use those buildings, "I think we would like to go down that route." Garland praised the buildings and their condition effusively. "I did a refinery review in Ponca City the week before last. We actually had our review in the Marland Board Room. It is a beautiful building, a great facility," said Garland. "There is no question that these are great buildings that are part of the rich heritage of Ponca City."[498]
Garland's public statement about the North and South Towers came in response to a question from the audience from Ponca City resident Hugh Pickens. "Phillips 66 has two beautiful, nine-story office buildings in Ponca City, the North and South Towers, that together contain over 250,000 square feet of Class A office space suitable for several hundred employees that have been essentially vacant for several years," said Pickens. "Could you talk about what options you are considering for these two empty office towers? Specifically, what are the chances that you are going to continue to leave the buildings vacant, tear the two buildings down, or sell or lease them to a company or companies that could utilize them to benefit the community of Ponca City and could you share your rationale for your decision."[499]
The reason there is so much unused office space at the refinery complex is that on February 17, 2009 ConocoPhillips announced they had decided to relocate all of its 750 non-refinery positions out of Ponca City within two years and that the first 250 jobs would be moved in 2009 with 180 jobs going to Houston and 70 jobs to Bartlesville. The positions moving first included jobs in technical services, research and development, engineering and support, human resources and Internet technology, among others. Management met with hundreds of Ponca City employees to tell them the news. "It’s a difficult time in general for all ConocoPhillips employees," said ConocoPhillips spokesman Tracy Harlow. "We made the strategic decision to consolidate locations for the most effective corporate operations." The decision to consolidate operations in Bartlesville and Houston was made by ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva, formerly President and CEO of Phillips 66 before the merger with Conoco.[500]
"What can citizens of Ponca City do to support and encourage Greg Garland's initiative? First, if you are an employee of Phillips 66, thank Refinery Manager Tim Seidel for Garland's initiative and for Phillips 66's willingness to work with our community. Tell Mr. Seidel how important this is for Ponca City and offer your support for Phillips' decision to work with local Ponca City officials at the Ponca City Development Authority (PCDA) to find companies that will come to Ponca City to occupy space in the North Tower, South Tower, and Research West," says Pickens. "It is also extremely important that retirees of Conoco, ConocoPhillips, and Phillips 66 make their voices heard. Retirees are very influential because they know first hand the world-class resources at the refinery complex and how they have gone unused for so many years. For example, when you meet with Phillips managers and executives at retiree meetings, tell them that you do not want to see the North and South Towers torn down, that these facilities still have many years of good service left in them, and tell Phillips managers and executives that you know that Phillips 66, working together with the community of Ponca City, can use these buildings to benefit both Phillips and Ponca City."
Garland told community leaders at the Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce forum that the company’s commitment to Bartlesville continues and that there are no plans to close any of the Bartlesville facilities or move any of Phillips' 2,000 employees out of Bartlesville. “Bartlesville is a special and unique place,” said Garland. “It has a rich part of our heritage and our legacy. It is important today. It will be important in the future of Phillips 66… A big part of the day-to-day operations and the successes of Phillips 66 are born by the people here in Bartlesville.” Even with expansion at the Houston headquarters, Garland said that the space there is already at capacity and the Bartlesville facilities will continue to be full as well. Garland talked about an expansion that is currently underway at the Research Center in Bartlesville to continue the development of polyethylene technologies.[501]
During his talk to the Bartlesville Chamber, Garland also announced that Phillips will be giving $1.7 million to Bartlesville Public Schools to create new innovative laboratories on three school campuses to support science, technology, engineering and math classes and research projects. “We want to create a place where our students will come and be excited, be challenged and hopefully be encouraged to follow a career at a place like Phillips 66,” Garland said. “We want to put the right kind of tools in the hands of students in Bartlesville so they can be more successful.”[502] An application by the Ponca City School System for a STEM grant under the Signature Community Initiative was turned down by Phillips 66.[503]
The funds came through a Phillips 66 Signature Community Initiative grant application submitted to the company under an effort spearheaded by Scott Bilger, a Bartlesville school board member and Phillips 66 employee, and Granger Meador, a physics teacher who heads up Bartlesville High’s science department. The new laboratories and major new course offerings will be at the high school, along with Madison and Central Middle Schools. “We are just really, really excited about the opportunity this is going to provide our students,” Superintendent Gary Quinn said. “It cannot be overstated what this is going to mean to our students.”[504]
July 30, 2014: More Consistent Crude Slate leads to More Consistent Operations at Ponca City Refinery
Tim Taylor told analysts during the 2nd quarter earnings conference on July 30, 2014 that using Ponca City as an example, "a more consistent crude slate leads to more consistent operations. So we’ve made great strides there. And then we’ve continued to focus on how to improve reliability. And I think that shows up as well. So, it’s really the two-point approach." Garland added that having the Ponca City and Borger refineries close to locally produced crude gives Phillips additional flexibility. "I think actually having the refineries there actually gives us additional flexibility with the storage they have. So it is not impacted the operations. Clearly Cushing needs to replenish. It's right at the minimum. But I think having the operations there actually gives us a degree of flexibility of just having a market center source there. Remember again, we take a lot of that crude in Ponca comes from locally gathered systems as well, particularly in borders. So that really, it’s a nice tie but it’s not an absolute must that we connect the two together to the operation."[505]
April 28, 2014: Tim Seidel Named New Refinery Manager at Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on April 29, 2014 that Refinery Manager Pete Stynes is leaving the Ponca City Refinery to take over as Refinery Manager at the Borger Refinery. Stynes came to Ponca City in July 2009.[506]
Tim Seidel, currently the Production Manager at the Ponca City refinery will take over as Refinery Manager. Seidel is a chemical engineer bringing with him 18 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Seidel began his refining career in 1997 as a chemical engineer at the Sweeny Refinery for the Phillips Petroleum Company. Seidel worked in various positions of increasing responsibility at Sweeny, including roles in engineering, production, project development and construction. He then served as regional optimization manager in the ConocoPhillips commercial organization in Houston. From 2006 to 2009, he was a technical manager at the Billings Refinery, and from 2009 to 2012, Seidel served as site manager, Santa Maria Refinery. Before Seidel joined Phillips 66 in May 2012, he held the role of production manager, Ponca City Refinery, for ConocoPhillips, where he continued in that capacity until April 2014.[507]
February 28, 2014: Phillips Reports Malfunction at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported a malfunction at its Ponca City, Oklahoma refinery, according to a filing with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality made public on Thursday. [508]
February 14, 2014: Phillips Sells Medford Spheres Serving Ponca City Refinery to Phillips 66 Partners
The Oil and Gas Journal reported on February 14, 2014 that Phillips will sell the Gold Product Pipeline System, also known as the “Gold Line System,” and the Medford Spheres, two newly constructed refinery-grade propylene storage spheres, to Phillips 66 Partners for a total consideration of $700 million. Medford Spheres includes two propylene storage systems located in Medford, Okla., with a combined capacity of 70,000 barrels. The units will serve as a temporary stopover for refinery-grade propylene coming from the Phillips 66 refinery in Ponca City, Okla., en route to the major natural gas liquids hub in Mont Belvieu, Texas. It also includes two lateral lines, and four terminals with 4.3 million barrels of aggregate storage capacity.[509][510]
February 10, 2014: Phillips Reports Hole in Line to FCCU at Ponca City Refinery
Reuters reported on February 10, 2014 that there was a release of benzene from a hole in a line that goes to the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU) at its Ponca City refinery/[511]
December 31, 2013: Some Employees in Ponca City Will Be Affected by Warren Buffett's Purchase of the Specialty Products Unit
Phillips reported on December 30, 2013 that Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is acquiring Phillips Specialty Products Inc., a flow improver business, from Phillips 66 in exchange for shares of Phillips 66 common stock currently held by Berkshire Hathaway. PSPI leads the science of drag reduction and specializes in developing polymers to maximize the flow potential of pipelines. “Berkshire Hathaway made a strong offer for our high-performing flow improver business,” said Greg Garland. “This transaction optimizes our portfolio and focuses growth on our Midstream and Chemicals businesses.”[512]
The Ponca City News reported on December 31, 2013 that the purchase of the Specialty Products Unit by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is expected to affect some of the 22 employees at the Ponca City Refinery who work in the flow improver business. No layoffs or city relocations are expected and it is anticipated that affected employees will transfer to the purchasing company according to Phillips 66 public relations.[513]
December 13, 2013: Phillips' Refineries in Ponca City and Borger to Supply Jet Fuel to Department of Defense
Channel 6 reported on December 13, 2013 that the US Department of Defense announced that it awarded a $292,016,625 contract to Phillips 66 for aviation turbine fuel to DOD facilities in Oklahoma, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota for 14 months, ending on April 30, 2015. "This competitive contract is awarded annually by the Defense Logistics Agency to supply jet fuel (aviation turbine fuel) to several Department of Defense facilities in Oklahoma, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota. Phillips 66 has a long history of supplying jet fuel to these locations from our Borger and Ponca City refineries. This contract is to supply approximately 87 million gallons over 14 months, with previous contract awards being in the 80 to 100 million gallon range."[514]
November 27, 2013: Malfunction at Ponca City Refinery
Reuters reported on December 4, 2013 that Phillips reported an unspecified malfunction on November 27, 2013 at the Ponca City Refinery in a filing made with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.[515]
October 30, 2013: Advantaged Crude Usage is Down Due in Part to the Scheduled Turnaround at the Ponca City Refinery
Phillips Finance and Chief Financial Officer Greg G. Maxwell told analysts at the third quarter earnings conference that Phillips' advantaged crude sale in the U.S. was 66% this quarter down from 68% last quarter "This decrease is mainly tied to Bakken and albeit in the economically advantaged during the third quarter and the scheduled turnaround at our Ponca City Refinery," said Maxwell. "Our refining segment reported a loss of $2 million this quarter. This is down $483 million from the prior quarter primarily due to lower margins particularly in the Central Corridor, Western Pacific and other refining. While the Central Corridor and Western Pacific regions where down due to decreased market cracks and other refining results were lower this quarter largely driven by lower earnings from utilizing the excess capacity on pipelines that import Canadian crude."[516]
October 6, 2013: Phillips Reports Startup of Unit at Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported startup of an unspecified unit at its refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma, according to a filing with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. [517]
September 29, 2013: Coker Reactor Moved into Place at Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on September 30, 2013 that two 232 ton coker reactors manufactured in Japan were moved into place into two slots on the working platform at the Ponca City Refinery on September 29, 2013 and carefully lowered into position by the Mammoet PTC-140 heavy lift crane.[518]
September 29, 2013: Phillips Implements New Fatigue Policy at Ponca City Refinery
USW 13-857 reported on September 29, 2013 tht Phillips implemented a new fatigue policy at the Ponca City Refinery. "As part of an increased emphasis on the impact that fatigue can have on employee safety and performance, Phillips 66 has created a corporate “Fatigue Risk Management System”, commonly called the Fatigue Policy. There are three scenarios when it may be necessary to evaluate an employee’s fitness for duty as it relates to fatigue and to then take appropriate action: (1) an employee communicates to their supervisor that he/she is too fatigued to safely continue with their job duties; or (2) a supervisor observes or responds to a co-worker’s observation that an employee appears to be too fatigued to safely continue with job duties."[519]
August 27, 2013: Garland Recognizes Ponca City as a 'Core Asset' to Phillips
The Tulsa World reported on August 28, 2013 that Phillips CEO Greg Garland spoke at the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce on August 27, 2013. During his talk Garland called the refinery at Ponca a 'core asset' for the company. “It is making very good money for us.” Garland said he expects gas demands in the U.S. to decline by 20 percent in the next 10 years, but added that demand for refined products in South America and Africa will more than offset that decline. Garland added that Phillips has added 38 new jobs at its refinery in Ponca City since Phillips became an independent company in 2012.[520]
Hugh Pickens reported that Garland also recognized 'oil giants' at the beginning of his speech, specifically referencing E. W. Marland and Frank Phillips and mentioning the familiar expression found in the letters of Isaac Newton: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." “People like E. W. Marland, who started Marland Oil in 1911, and Frank and L. E. Phillips that started Phillips Petroleum in 1917. I could go on and on and list the giants that have come before us that have so well positioned this company for the success that we enjoy today.”[521][522]
August 13, 2013: Phillips Moves 15 Jobs From Ponca City to Bartlesville
The Ponca City News reported on August 14, 2013 that fifteen positions in the Lubricants Research, development, and Customer Services section will be moved from Ponca City to Bartlesville and other Phillips locations beginning in August, 2013. The reason given for the move is to co-locate these functions with similar work at other locations. Phillips says that no other positions will be affected at the Ponca City Refinery and that there will be no layoffs.[523]
In 2009 Phillips predecessor company ConocoPhillips made the decision to relocate 750 positions out of Ponca City within two years. The first 250 jobs moved in 2009 with 180 jobs going to Houston and 70 jobs to Bartlesville. The positions moved included jobs in technical services, research and development, engineering and support, human resources and Internet technology, among others. [524]
August 8, 2013: Phillips to Replace Two Coking Drums in October
The DOE reported on August 9, 2013 that Phillips is set to replace two giant drums on the coking unit at its Ponca City Refinery Ponca City in October, according to sources familiar with operations at the refinery. The coking unit will be shut to lift out the current drums and put the replacement drums in the unit, the sources said.[525]
July 31, 2013: Phillips Sets New Quarterly Record of 181,000 bpd at Ponca City Refinery
Greg Garland told analysts at Phillips 2nd Quarters earnings conference on July 31, 2013 that Phillips set a new quarterly record of 181,000 barrels a day at the Ponca City Refinery.[526]
July 31, 2013: Phillips Commissions High-Capacity Truck Facility in Ponca City
Greg Garland told analysts at Phillips 2nd Quarters earnings conference on July 31, 2013 that Phillips commissioned a high-capacity truck facility at the Ponca City Refinery providing additional access to Mississippian Lime crude. "We continue to increase our refined product exports. In the second quarter, we set a new quarterly record of 181,000 barrels a day."[527]
July 23, 2013: Base Put in Place for Mammoth Crane
The Ponca City News reported on July 23, 2013 that the base for the 587 foot tall Mammoet PTC 140 crane has been put in place at the Ponca City Refinery.[528]
July 12, 2013: Units Shut Down at Ponca City Refinery
Bloomberg reported that Phillips 66 shut units at its Ponca City refinery in Oklahoma on July 11 after a power disruption, Houston-based spokesman Rich Johnson said. The refinery planned to restart late on July 12, 2013. On July 15, 2013 Phillips reported that the refinery had returned to normal operation on July 12, 2013.[529]
July 11, 2013: Construction of Pony Express Pipeline to Ponca City Could Begin Soon
Russ Morgan reported on the Winfield Daily Courier On July 11, 2013 that final terms to begin construction of the Cowley County leg of the Pony Express Pipeline are being negotiated, and the company intends to begin work on it sometime in late August. The pipeline will be used to ship light, sweet crude from Guernsey, Wyo., to the Phillips 66 refinery in Ponca City and to shipping points in Cushing, Okla. One complication of the project is that ownership of the pipeline has changed since October from Kinder Morgan to Tallgrass Energy Partners.[530]
June 28, 2013: Massive Flaring at Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on June 28, 2013 that massive flaring occurred at the Ponca City Refinery at Ponca City the evening of June 27, 2013 during a large thunderstorm that hit Ponca City and caused widespread power outages. Flaring occurs many times during power outages when plant operations are interrupted and are a safety measure to burn off gases from pressure relief valves.[531]
June 23, 2013: Phillips Invests $70 Million to Replace Coke Drums at Ponca City Refinery
Louse Abercrombie reported in the Ponca City News on June 23, 2013 that Phillips 66 plans to invest $70 million in the Ponca City Refinery to replace two huge coke drums that were first installed at the refinery in 1982. “This fall the coker units will be shut down for maintenance so these drums can be switched out,” said Betsy Johnson, Coke Drum Project Manager. The coke drum replacement will allow heavier oil and the refinery is expected to slow down but not shut down as the new coke drums are installed. The coke drums were produced in Japan and shipped through the Panama Canal to New Orleans and by barge to Catoosa. About 100 extra workers are now at the refinery preparing for the installation and another 50 are expected during the installation.[532]
June 13, 2013: World's Largest Crane to Move Two Coker Reactor Units at Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on June 13, 2013 that one of the worl's largest cranes, believed to be a PTC-200 DS model crane is being assembled at a staging area at the corner of South Pine Street and South Avenue. The unit, said to be arriving from a previous job in Brazil, will be used to move two coker reactor units within the refinery. The supercrane, built by Dutch firm Mammoet, is fitted with four 800t main winches capable of lifting 3,200 tonnes loads at a maximum hoist speed of 10m per minute.[533][534] Sources say that the crane when assembled will be over 700 feet tall and will be visible from I-35 15 miles away in Tonkawa. Sources also say that an old coker unit in the refinery will be removed using the crane and a new one installed.
May 21, 2013: Ponca City Refinery Not Affected by Bad Weather
Reuters reported on May 21, 2013 that Phillips' refinery in Ponca City was not affected by the severe weather on May 20, 2013 when a massive tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma.[535]
May 21, 2013: Phillips Contributes to Oklahoma Tornado Relief Efforts
Phillips reported on May 21, 2013 that the company will contribute $1 million to the American Red Cross to assist in the relief efforts following the tornadoes that struck Mooe and Shawnee Oklahoma. "Our company's roots run deep in Oklahoma, and our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to the people affected by this disaster,” said Greg Garland. “We are extremely thankful that all of our employees in Oklahoma and their immediate families are safe. We thank the first responders and medical personnel that came to the rescue of so many."[536]
April 3, 2013: Several Units Temporarily Shut Down at Ponca City Refinery Due to Storms
Nasdaq reported on April 3, 2013 that several units at the Ponca City Refinery were temporarily shut down over the weekend due to storms. Phillips was making progress toward restarting some units and some units have been restarted.[537]
March 20, 2013: Phillips Signs Deals to Boost Deliveries of Cheap Crude to Ponca City Refinery
Eliot Caroom reported on Bloomberg on March 20, 2013 that Phillips has signed a pipeline deal with Magellan Midstream Partners LP (MMP) to move 20,000 barrels a day of crude to the Ponca City Refinery, replacing West Texas Intermediate from Cushing with oil from the Mississippian Lime play. Magellan service will begin in late 2013, reaching full volume by January 2014.
Phillips will also invest in its own Oklahoma assets to transport an additional 40,000 barrels a day of Mississippian Lime to Ponca City. Mississippian Lime crude comes from the Anadarko Basin, which spans Oklahoma and neighboring states. Two new pipelines carrying the grade are planned to start service this year, according to a February EIA report. “We are aggressively pursuing increased access to advantaged crudes in North America by partnering with leading third-party transportation providers and better leveraging our own system capabilities,” Greg Garland, Phillips 66 chairman and chief executive officer, said in the statement. “Increasing our utilization of those advantaged crudes should allow us to capture significant value in our refining and marketing businesses.”[538]
February 20, 2013: Oscar nominated Director David O. Russell attached to Marland Movie
The Tulsa World reported on February 20, 2013 that Oscar-nominated director David O. Russell will reunite with Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence in the movie "The Ends of the Earth" about Oilman E. W. Marland founder of the Marland Oil Campany and builder of the Ponca City Refinery, Oklahoma and his wife Lydie Marland. The Weinstein Company (which made "Silver Linings Playbook" with Lawrence and Russell) has described the film as "the epic love story, based on true events (as) powerful oil tycoon Ernest Marland loses everything after engaging in a controversial love affair with his adopted daughter Lydie." The previously announced film - likely a 2014 or 2015 release - will be written by Chris Terrio, the screenwriter of best-picture Oscar film "Argo."[539]
February 7, 2013: Gasoil Hydrotreater Shut Down for Short-Term Repairs at Ponca City Refinery
Lynn Doan at Bloomberg reported on February 7, 2013 that a gasoil hydrotreater was shut down for short-term repairs at the Ponca City Refinery. Workers began shutting down equipment about two weeks ago for short-term maintenance turnarounds, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. Phillips recently finished repairs on the amine treater and shut a gas plant associated with the coker and a gasoil hydrotreater for work that may last two more weeks, the person said. In the fall, the coker will be out of service for work the person added. Cokers convert heavy refinery streams, such as vacuum bottoms, into light products such as naphtha and heating oil. Hydrotreaters remove sulfur, metal and other impurities from refined oil products. Rich Johnson, a spokesman at company headquarters in Houston, said by e-mail that planned maintenance is under way in Ponca City. He declined to comment on specific units.[540]
February 1, 2013: Phillips Honors E. W. Marland by Hosting Chamber Members in Marland Boardroom
Rich Cantillon reported in the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce online Newsletter on February 1, 2013 that Phillips honored E. W. Marland by hosting a tour of E. W. Marland's office and the Marland Oil Company Board Room for members of Ponca City Government, the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce, and the Ponca City Development Association (PCDA). "Hand carved designs are everywhere in what was the board room and Marland's Office," wrote Cantillon, Executive Director of the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce. "This is an incredible part of Oklahoma oil history right here in Ponca City! It has been kept just like it was when E.W. Marland worked in this office and ran his oil company." City officials met with Phillips Refinery Manager Pete Stynes, Phillips HR Manager Bob Gingerich, and H.J. Reed, Phillips Manager for State Government Relations who was in Ponca City to give an update on what to expect in the upcoming legislative session.[541]
January 13, 2013: Replacement Coker Unit Arrives in Ponca City
The Ponca City News reported on January 13, 2013 that a 463,000 pound replacement coker unit had arrived in Ponca City for installation at the Phillips 66 Refinery. The unit, manufactured in Japan, will be prepared at a staging area at Standing Bear Park for later installation at the refinery.[542]
December 25, 2012: Greg Garland Visits Ponca City
The Ponca City News reported on December 25, 2012 that Phillips CEO Greg Garland visited Ponca City accompanied by Larry Ziemba, Executive Vice President Refining; Merl Lindstrom, Vice President Technology; and Michael Wirkowski, General Manager, Refinery Business Improvement. Garland his team were welcomed to Ponca City by Mayor Homer Nicholson, a 38-year veteran of Conoco and ConocoPhillips before his retirement; David Myers and Larry Murphy with the Ponca City Development Authority; City Manager Craig Stephenson; civic leader Carl Renfro; Pete Stynes, Phillips 66 Refinery Manager in Ponca City; and Lee Evans and Rich Cantillon with the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce.[543] This was Garland's first public visit to Phillips 66's most profitable refinery since becoming CEO. Garland cancelled a previous visit to Ponca City scheduled for March, 2012.[544]
December 18, 2012: Ponca City Residents Meet Over Concerns about Possible Groundwater Contamination
Beverly Bryant reported in the Ponca City News on December 18, 2012 that residents of a southeast Ponca City neighborhood adjacent to the Phillips 66 Refinery met at the Poncan Theatre with Attorneys Dave Askman, Jason Aamodt, Kalyn Free and Dallas Strimple to discuss possible groundwater contamination with benzene, a volatile organic compound which can cause cancer. The attorneys, who included the co-counsels that represented the Ponca Tribe in their 2005 lawsuit against Continental Carbon Company, gave a presentation called “Orange Water: Ponca City, Oklahoma.” Water samples were taken from seven sites, said Askman adding that although not all seven sites showed the same results, benzene was found in a concentration of 20 parts per million at one site, along with diesel-range organics. “In those orange springs, we know there is benzene and diesel coming up in the water,” said Askman. “Phillips has information that materials have gotten into the neighborhood.” The Ponca City News reported that efforts to contact spokesmen for Phillips 66 and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality had so far been usuccessful but would continue.[545]
Beverly Bryant reported in the Ponca City News on December 19, 2012 that Phillips 66 has responded to health concerns of Ponca City residents of about what they believe to be contamination of the water which comes into their homes, as well as groundwater on their properties. “Phillips 66 conducts its operations and environmental programs in a manner that protects the community, human health and the environment," said a statement by Bob Gingerich, head of Human Resources at the Phillips 66 Refinery. "Since the early 1990s, Phillips 66 (previously Conoco and then ConocoPhillips) has been working cooperatively with state regulators, to continue remediation and monitoring of groundwater and springs beneath and surrounding the refinery. Phillips 66 conducts monitoring of this groundwater and springs multiple times throughout the year in accordance with a plan approved by state regulators. Test results show the impacted area continues to shrink. These results are available to the public through the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and at the Ponca City Public Library. Since 2003, Phillips 66 has purchased and continues to purchase selective property near the refinery to increase the buffer zone between the community and the refinery. Phillips 66 has a long history of working with our neighbors and responding to community questions and concerns. Community members are welcome to call our 24-hour InfoLine (580) 767-7130.” Gingerich declined to answer any questions about the monitoring results, but said “We are happy to talk to any individual homeowners about any concerns and come out to help them understand what’s going on."[546]
October 31, 2012: Phillips Increases Amount of Sour Crude and Mississippian Lime Crude Processed at Ponca City Refinery
Tim Taylor reported at the Phillips Third Quarter Earnings Conference on October 31, 2012 that Phillips had increased the amount of crude processed at the Ponca City Refinery and is also ramping up deliveries of locally produced Mississippian lime crude into the Ponca City refinery via pipeline and truck. "We expect to receive up to an additional 50,000 barrels per day of this high-quality crude into Ponca City by the end of 2013."[547]
October 21, 2012: Phillips 66 Charitable Contributions in Ponca City and the Surrounding Area are Significant
The Ponca City News reported on October 21, 2012 that Phillips 66 provides financial and in-kind support to community organizations through corporate and employee based programs. "Our philanthropic contributions in Ponca City and the surrounding area are significant. In 2011, direct contributions to non-profit agencies, matching United Way contributions, and contributions based on employee and retiree hours or monetary contributions were in excess of $1.1 million dollars. When employee and retiree contributions are added to the company contributions, the total is over $1.7 million dollars."[548]
The Ponca City Refinery earned profits in excess of $500 million in 2011 for Phillips 66 and based on Phillips' third quarter earnings report for 2012 with a realized crack spread of $31.83 for mid-continent refineries and a capacity utilization of 102%, the Ponca City Refinery will contribute at an annualized rate of over $1 billion ($1.032 B) of net profits in 2012 to Phillips bottom line.
October 10, 2012: Refinery Manager Pete Stynes Speaks to Ponca City Lions Club
The Ponca City News reported on October 14, 2012 that Refinery Manager Pete Stynes spoke to the Ponca City Lions Club on October 10, 2012 about Phillips 66's Refinery in Ponca City. Stynes said that 800 employees work at the refinery with the direct employment of 625 Phillips employees. Stynes said the local oil boom, as well as discoveries of light crude in North Dakota and other parts of the country, have resulted in a profitable time for the refinery. Stynes said that Phillips employees contribute thousands of dollars to local organizations — much of it matched by Phillips 66 - and that Phillips employees put in many volunteer hours with at least 40 employees serving on the boards of directors of local charities.[549]
August 8, 2012: Pony Express Pipeline to Deliver Crude from Wyoming to Ponca City Refinery
The Oil and Gas Journal reported on August 8, 2012 that the Pony Express Pipeline company has received sufficient binding shipper commitments to move forward with its Pony Express Oil Project that will deliver crude oil from receipt points near Guernsey, Wyo., to the Phillips 66 Ponca City Refinery as well as to Cushing, Okla. The 220,000 b/d pipeline will enter service third-quarter 2014. The project involves converting 430 miles of existing pipeline from natural gas to oil service, and constructing a 260-mile pipeline extension from the existing pipeline to Ponca City and Cushing.[550]
August 6, 2012: Weinstein Company to Produce Film about EW Marland, the Ponca City Refinery, and the Birth of the Oil Industry in North Central Oklahoma
The Tulsa World reported on August 6, 2012 that the Weinstein Company, producer of the last two Academy Award winners for best picture: "The King's Speech" and "The Artist," is attached to topline the romantic drama "Ends of the Earth," written by Chris Terrio and based on the lives of EW and Lydie Marland, in a story that follows the controversial love affair between an oil baron and his adopted daughter, which destroys the empire they built together. "Chris (Terrio) has brought to life with his writing one of the most epic love stories that people have yet to really discover," said Dylan Sellers, Weinstein Company president of production. "We knew right away that this script was something special." Jennifer Lawrence, star of "The Hunger Games," is attached to play Lydie, an educated, headstrong woman who was adopted as a girl by her aunt Virginia and uncle Ernest who later becomes their adopted daughter and eventually becomes EW's wife. According to the screenplay, Lydie urges EW to raise workers' wages at the Ponca City Refinery and give them unpredecented access to medical care, earning her the nickname the "princess of the prairies." Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce the movie for Escape Artists, which is aiming to start production in the summer of 2013.[551][552]
August 6, 2012: Red Fork Energy to Pipeline and Truck Mississippi Lime Crude to Ponca City Refinery
The Oil and Gas Journal reported on August 6, 2012 that Red Fork Energy Ltd. has agreed to sell the Mississippi Lime Crude from its 75,000 net acres east of the Nemaha ridge in five Oklahoma counties to a subsidiary of Phillips 66. The oil will be pipelined or trucked to the Ponca City Refinery. Red Fork Energy just completed the McMurtry 1-21H well in Noble County, OK, in which it has 62.2% working interest, at a peak rate of 494 b/d of 38° gravity oil and 1.3 MMcfd of high-BTU gas. The well’s 23-day average was 470 boe/d.[553] Red Fork has drilled nine horizontal Mississippian wells with four completed for production, three awaiting completion and two currently drilling. The company's McMurtry 1-21H well in Development Area 2, Oklahoma, continues to be a winner for the company with production averaging about 470 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The well has been producing uninterrupted since testing commenced and has been transferred to the company's production monitoring team for permanent production. Further production from the Mississippi Lime play is just waiting on completion works to be carried out on the McMurtry 1-22H, Bunch 1-19H and State 1-13H wells.[554]
August 1, 2012: Phillips to Run 60,000 bpd of Advantaged Crudes to Ponca City Refinery
Phillips reported during their second-quarters earnings report on August 1, 2012 that Phillips wants to move the shale crudes from 120,000 to ultimately 450,000 to 460,000 barrels a day and has a plan to get advantaged crude into most of Phillips' refineries. "We are trying to get those crudes to every refinery we can," said Phillips CEO Greg Garland. "Ponca about 60,000 barrels a day."[555]
August 1, 2012: Phillips to Run More Mississippi Lime Shale Crude through the Ponca City Refinery
Reuters reported on Phillips second-quarters earnings report on August 2, 2012 that Phillips is working to run more shale crude from the Mississippi Lime play in Oklahoma and Kansas at its 198,400 bpd refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma by trucking crude from the company's existing gathering systems.[558] Rod Walton reported in the Tulsa World on September 24, 2011 that Mississippi Lime - porous limestone formations in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas has been yielding reservoirs to horizontal operators such as SandRidge, Chesapeake, Devon and Tulsa-based Eagle Energy LLC during the past two years. The "new" reserves actually lie slightly below formations that were big producers 100 years ago. Phillips Petroleum Co., for instance, made its name in the nearby Burbank Field, on the eastern edge of the play that includes Osage, Pawnee, Kay, Garfield, Woods, Alfalfa and other northern Oklahoma counties. "It's sort of amazing that all of this has been sitting there and waiting for horizontal drilling," says Eagle CEO Steve Antry. "The vertical wells hardly drained any of that." The move now is toward the deposits containing mostly oil and natural gas liquids. The Mississippi Lime's ratio is often 52 to 55 percent oil, according to reports. "We're into the second tier of this renaissance," says Chip Minty, a spokesman for Oklahoma City-based Devon Energy Corp. "Now what we're doing is taking the same technology beyond the shales to the carbonates, such as limestone." One advantage of the Mississippi Lime is that limestone's porosity and natural fractures can mean less expense on the drilling and hydraulic fracturing parts of the project. Expenses can total half and even a fourth of typical unconventional well efforts. Another advantage is that there is already plenty of seismic data available for the area from past exploration and drilling. "It's a reasonably low-cost play where hydrocarbons have been found before, with a lot of wells drilled in the past," says RAM spokesman Robert Phaneuf. And that gives you good data points."[559]
July 30, 2012: Major Disaster Averted at Ponca City Refinery
The Ponca City News reported on July 31, 2012 that what might have been a major disaster at the Ponca City Refinery was narrowly averted when a concrete pillar prevented an out-of-control rock-hauling truck from plowing into critical piping at the south refinery along US 60. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Jason Ross reported in his investigation the truck was traveling eastbound on US 60 approaching the railway overpass when it went into the steel guardrail on the right side and continued for 625 feet before then crashing through cement barriers and fencing around the refinery plant and striking a barrier around exposed pipes, traveling another 295 feet before crashing head-on into the concrete pillar at the base of the refinery operation. Refinery spokeswoman Diane Anderson says the refinery production operation was not affected and that major damage to the plant was narrowly avoided.[560]
July 10, 2012: Planned Maintenance under way at Ponca City refinery
Reuters reported on July 10, 2012 that planned maintenance is taking place at the Ponca City Refinery. Phillips 66 did not say when the maintenance work started or how long it is expected to last.[561] Phillips 66 completed maintenance work on July 19 at Ponca City refinery on July 19, according to traders doing business with the refinery.[562]
April 25, 2012: West Texas Sour Weakens After Ponca City Refinery Flaring
Bloomberg reported on April 25, 2012 that the discount for West Texas Sour oil widened after flaring was reported at the Ponca City refinery. West Texas Sour’s discount widened $2.65 a barrel to $8.35 a barrel below West Texas Intermediate at 3:54 p.m. in New York, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. WTI in Midland, Texas, widened its discount versus the benchmark grade at Cushing, Oklahoma, by $2.90 to $7.50 a barrel. The refinery flared gases late yesterday, Paula Cain, director of the city’s emergency management division, said in a telephone interview.[563]
March 27, 2012: Greg Garland Can't Join Other Phillips 66 Leaders on Visit to Ponca City
On March 27, 2012, the Ponca City News reported that leaders from Phillips 66 visited Ponca City and were met by community leaders.
On the Phillips 66 side were Bob Herman, Future Lead of Health, Safety and Environment; Pete Stynes, Ponca City Refinery Manager; Larry Ziemba, future Lead of Refining, including Projects and Procurement, and President, Global Refining; Chantal Veevaete, future Human Resources; and Tim Taylor, future Commercial, Marketing, Transportation and Business Development.
On the Ponca City side were City Manager Craig Stephenson; Lee Evans, Chair of the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce; David Myers, Ponca City Development Authority; Rich Cantillon, Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Bureau; Carl Renfro, community leader; and Larry Murphy, Chair of the Ponca City Development Authority.[564]
Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland, although originally scheduled to visit Ponca City with his management team, was not able to attend. Ponca City Mayor Homer Nicholson, retired from ConocoPhillips after 38 years service, was also unable to attend.
March 12, 2012: Proposal to Rename Phillips 66's Refinery to the "Marland Refinery in Ponca City"
On March 12, 2012 a web site was created asking the management of Phillips 66 to consider honoring EW Marland, the oil pioneer who built the refinery in 1919 and developed the oil industry in North Central Oklahoma by restoring the name of the Phillips 66 refinery in Ponca to its original name, "Marland Refinery in Ponca City," as a gesture of goodwill to the community of Ponca City.
"The Ponca City News" recently announced that with the split of ConocoPhillips into two companies, the ConocoPhillips operation in Ponca City, Oklahoma will soon be renamed Phillips 66.
Frank Phillips, the founder of the Phillips 66 Oil company, was a man who knew how to use his courage and initiative and great administrative ability to create industry and wealth in Oklahoma leaving a legacy in the oil company that bears his name that will always be a monument to his memory.
But there is another Oklahoma oil pioneer who was equally important in developing the oil industry and bringing prosperity and advancement to Northern Oklahoma and that man was EW Marland.
EW Marland pioneered the use of geological techniques in the oil industry and was years ahead of his time as an employer providing housing, loans, medical care, and other benefits for thousands of employees who worked at his refineries and pipelines but Marland lost everything to the powerful JP Morgan banking interests - even losing his name on the oil company that he founded in Ponca City.
It is altogether fitting and proper that Phillips 66 honor the heritage of oil development in Northern Oklahoma by recognizing Frank Phillips and EW Marland.
The executives of Phillip 66 have honored the memory of Frank Phillips by choosing to name their new company for Phillips. We think Phillips 66 should honor the legacy of oil pioneer EW Marland by naming their refinery in Ponca City for Marland, the man who started the refinery and brought advancement and development to North Central Oklahoma.[565]
It would mean a great deal to the residents of Ponca City for Phillips 66 to acknowledge the history and heritage of the oil industry in Oklahoma by honoring these two great oil pioneers, Frank Phillips and EW Marland.
Renaming the refinery the "Marland Refinery in Ponca City" will serve as a symbol going forward of the partnership between the oil industry and the citizens of North Central Oklahoma that honors the legacy of these two great oil pioneers.[566]
A full page advertisement by Phillips 66 announcing its "intent on continually earning the trust of the communities we serve and operating with the highest levels of integrity" appeared in the Ponca City News on May 1, 2012.[567] A quarter-page advertisement congratulating Phillips 66 on its creation and asking Phillips 66 to honor the legacy of EW Marland appeared in the Ponca City News on May 1, 2012.[568][569]
References
- ↑ Belleville News-Democrat. "Rail car overturns at Wood River Refinery" by Elizabeth Donald. December 29, 2016.
- ↑ The Guardian. "Standing Rock activists target Dakota Access's profits to further strain pipeline" by Sam Levin and Julia Carrie Wong. December 29, 216.
- ↑ Reuters. "U.S. refiners face severe labor shortage for deferred maintenance" by Jarrett Renshaw. December 29, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Busy Year in 2017 Set For Phillips 66 Refinery" November 30, 2016.
- ↑ Duluth News Tribune. "Enbridge stalls on Dakota Access purchase" by Brooks Johnson. December 23, 2016.
- ↑ Democracy Now. "Investors Delay $2 Billion Purchase of Dakota Access Pipeline Stake" December 28, 2016.
- ↑ The Creole. "Phillips 66 donates $50,000 to Sorrento Fire Department" December 23, 2016.
- ↑ Myhighplains. "Phillips 66 Donates $35,000 to Amarillo Police for Training" December 20, 2016.
- ↑ KQED. "New Vallejo Mayor Wants Oil Industry to Pay for Air Monitors" by Ted Goldberg. December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Pickens Sponsor First Dinner in Marland Estate Formal Dining Room in 75 Years" December 18, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Ponca City Awarded Grants" December 16, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Phillips 66 Gets Into Spirit Gifting Five Organization" December 21, 2016.
- ↑ Businesswire. "Phillips 66 Freeport LPG Export Terminal Fully Operational" December 16, 2016.
- ↑ Oil and Gas 360. "Oklahoma’s Osage Nation wants Oil & Gas Development to Hit the Accelerator—Now" December 15, 2016.
- ↑ NBC News. "Dakota Protesters Say Belle Fourche Oil Spill 'Validates Struggle'" by Daniel A. Medina. December 13, 2016.
- ↑ NPR. "Pipeline Spill Adds To Concerns About Dakota Access Pipeline" by Leigh Patterson. December 15, 2016.
- ↑ UPI. "Donald Trump: I'll solve the Dakota Access pipeline question" December 12, 2016.
- ↑ Fuelfix. "Phillips 66 cuts capital spending by 25 percent" December 9, 2016.
- ↑ NY Times. "North Dakota Could Be Biggest Loser in Ruling Against Oil Pipeline" by Clifford Krauss. December 8, 2016.
- ↑ Wall Street Journal. "Judge Denies Developer’s Request to Force Approval of Dakota Access Pipeline’s Final Stage" by Christopher Matthews. December 9, 2016.
- ↑ Alton Daily News. "Phillips 66 Donates to Playground Project" December 9, 2016.
- ↑ Advantage News. "Phillips 66, city of Alton join forces to build inclusive playground" December 9, 2016.
- ↑ East Bay Times. "Rodeo: Court orders further review of Phillips 66 refinery project" December 7, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Special Dinner to be Served at Marland Mansion" December 7, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca Post. "Marland’s Formal Dining Room Comes Alive Saturday" December 8, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City Now. "Marland Mansion dining room to hold first dinner in 75 years" December 6, 2016.
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal. "Trump Team Pledges Support for Completing Blocked Dakota Pipeline" by Kris Maher and Will Conners. December 5, 2016.
- ↑ The Hill. "Obama puts Dakota pipeline on Trump’s desk" by Devin Henry. December 5, 2016.
- ↑ Sightline. "THE RICKETY FINANCES BEHIND THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE" NOvember 17, 2016.
- ↑ Democracy Now. "'Financial Disaster': Could Dakota Access Pipeline Lose Its Contracts with Oil Companies on Jan. 1?" December 5, 2016.
- ↑ New York Times. "Army Blocks Drilling of Dakota Access Oil Pipeline" by Jack Healy and Nicholas Fandos. December 4, 2016.
- ↑ Butler County Times Gazette. "Phillips 66 presents check for Flint Hills maps" by Julie Clements. December 1, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Busy Year in 2017 Set For Phillips 66 Refinery" November 30, 2016.
- ↑ Kendrick Oil. "What Are Refinery Shutdowns And Turnarounds?" retrieved December 1, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Busy Year in 2017 Set For Phillips 66 Refinery" November 30, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Busy Year in 2017 Set For Phillips 66 Refinery" November 30, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Stynes Shares Refinery Update With Noon Lions" October 14, 2012.
- ↑ UPI. "2,000 veterans plan to protect Dakota Access pipeline protesters" by Andrew V. Pestano. November 30, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Phillips 66 Donates $25,000 To Help Cushing Recovery From Earthquake" November 23, 2016.
- ↑ Washington Post. "Police, citing ‘ongoing riot,’ use water cannons on Dakota Access protesters in freezing weather" November 21, 2016.
- ↑ NBC News. "Scores Arrested in Dakota Access Pipeline Protests Nationwide" November 16, 2016.
- ↑ Houston Business Journal. "Phillips 66 loads first cargo out of new Freeport LPG terminal" by Joshua Mann. November 14, 2016.
- ↑ Guru Focus. "Phillips 66 (PSX) Chairman and CEO Greg C. Garland Sold $6.4 million of Shares" November 14, 2016.
- ↑ NBC News. "What Will a Trump Presidency Mean for the Dakota Access Pipeline?" November 12, 2016.
- ↑ Des Moines Register. "Iowa landowners on pipeline work: 'They show no respect'" by Kim Hardy. November 5, 2016.
- ↑ Platts. "US ethane cracker updates in petrochemical Q3 earnings calls" November 3, 2016.
- ↑ FuelFix. "Fluor takes $154 million hit on delayed petrochemical project near Houston" by Jordan Blum. November 3, 2016.
- ↑ Washington Post. "On Dakota Access, Obama says Army Corps is weighing whether to ‘reroute’ pipeline" Derek Hawkins. November 2, 2016.
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Wood River Refinery settles wastewater pollution case with Illinois" by Bryce Gray. October 31, 2016.
- ↑ Yahoo. "Phillips 66 expects Dakota Access permit to be granted" October 28, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. "Phillips 66 quarterly profit plunges, cuts 2016 capex" October 28, 2016.
- ↑ Fuel Fix. "Phillips 66 reports $511 million profit" October 28, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66. "Phillips 66 Reports Third-Quarter Earnings of $511 Million or $0.96 Per Share" October 28, 2016.
- ↑ Toronto Metro. "Back-to-business results expected from oilsands as wildfire impact dissipates" October 26, 2016.
- ↑ Billings Gazette. "ExxonMobil denies report that it's planning to sell its Billings refinery" August 31, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66's (PSX) CEO Greg Garland on Q3 2016 Results - Earnings Call Transcript" October 28, 2016.
- ↑ UPI. "83 arrested at Dakota Access pipeline protest" by Eric Duvall. October 22, 2016.
- ↑ KQED. "Refinery, Shipping Firm Dispute Finding They’re Responsible for Oil Spill" by Tom Goldberg. October 21, 2016.
- ↑ East Bay Times. "Bay Area oil spill: Phillips 66 refinery responsible for oil sheens on San Pablo Bay" October 20, 2016.
- ↑ KQED. "Tests Show Substance in San Pablo Bay Oil Spill was Crude, More Clues Point to Refinery Tanker As Source" by Ted Goldberg. October 18, 2016.
- ↑ Bellingham Herald. "Phillips 66 replacing a major tower at Ferndale refinery" October 20, 2016.
- ↑ San Luis Obispo Tribune. "Phillips 66 appeals oil-by-rail plan to SLO County supervisors" by Cynthia Lambert. October 20, 2016.
- ↑ UPI. "Dakota Access pipeline equipment fire called arson" by Ed Adamczyk. October 18, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca Post. "Phillips 66 Donates ST Math Grant for Ponca City Public Schools" by Mary Ladd. October 17, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Seeking Answers" October 16, 2016.
- ↑ Mother Jones. "Bernie Sanders Called for a Halt to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Why Won’t Hillary Clinton?" October 13, 2016.
- ↑ Senator Sanders of Vermont. "Senators Ask President to Halt Construction of Dakota Access Pipeline" October 13, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise. "Phillips 66 donates $250,000 to Boys & Girls Club" by Nathan Thompson. October 13, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Radio. "Phillips 66 and PSO Break Ground on Substation" by Charlie Taraboletti. October 12, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise. "POWERING UP: New substation will help Phillips 66 expand by Nathan Thompson. October 12, 2016.
- ↑ Houston Chronicle. "Chevron Phillips' $6 billion Houston expansion nears completion" by Jordan Blum. October 10, 2016.
- ↑ KCBX. "SLO County Planning Commission votes to deny Phillips 66 rail spur project" October 5, 2016.
- ↑ Houston Chronicle. "From chance meeting, ConocoPhillips emerged as oil major" by David Hunn. September 28, 2016.
- ↑ KQED. "Phillips 66 Refinery in Rodeo Reopens Marine Terminal as Oil Spill Investigation Continues" September 28, 2016.
- ↑ Times Herald. "City of Vallejo releases statement on mysterious odor" by Matthew Adkins. September 27, 2016
- ↑ Reuters. "Sunoco, behind protested Dakota pipeline, tops U.S. crude spill charts" by Liz Hamption. September 23, 2016.
- ↑ KQED. "Officials Investigate Whether Phillips 66 Refinery Tied to San Pablo Bay Oil Spill" by Don Clyde. September 21, 2016.
- ↑ Napa Valley Register. "UPDATE: Coast Guard reports 2 oils sheens found in San Pablo Bay near oil refinery" September 21, 2016.
- ↑ ABC7. "TANKER BERTHED AT PHILLIPS 66 REFINERY MAY BE CAUSE OF SHEEN IN SAN PABLO BAY" by Amy Hollyfield. September 21, 2016.
- ↑ Inforum. "Federal regulators investigate Sacagawea Pipeline" by Amy Dalrymple. September 19, 2016.
- ↑ ThinkProgress. "More than a billion dollars at stake if Dakota Access pipeline stalls, company says" by Alejandro Dávila Fragoso. September 16, 2016.
- ↑ Chicago Tribune. "Court halts construction of another section of protested Dakota Access oil pipeline" September 17, 2016.
- ↑ KPUG. "Washington limits carbon pollution from largest sources" September 16, 2016.
- ↑ KFYR. "Federal judge strikes down Three Affiliated Tribes' restraining order on pipeline project" by Joe Skurzewski. September 16,2016.
- ↑ The Missoulian. "Oil company vs Indians: Flathead Reservation has been there before" by Rob Chaney. September 14, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. "ConocoPhillips CEO sees stabilization ahead" September 14, 2016.
- ↑ News6. "ConocoPhillips Begins Layoffs In Bartlesville, Across Company" September 12, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise. "ConocoPhillips expects 90 jobs lost in Bartlesville" by Nathan Thompson. September 12, 2016.
- ↑ Tulsa World. "ConocoPhillips jobs in jeopardy" by Rod Walton. November 8, 2008.
- ↑ Bloomberg. "Dakota pipeline's fate may hinge on next president after setback" by Meenal Vamburkar. September 10, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. "North Dakota oil pipeline delays could hit producers, shippers" September 12, 2016.
- ↑ New York Times. "U.S. Suspends Construction on Part of North Dakota Pipeline" by Jack Healy and John Schwartz. September 9, 2016.
- ↑ US Department of Justice. "Joint Statement from the Department of Justice, the Department of the Army and the Department of the Interior Regarding Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" September 9, 2016.
- ↑ PR Newswire. "Irving Oil Welcomes Whitegate to the Team" September 9, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. "Phillips considers sale of Irish, Malaysian refining stakes" December 13, 2012.
- ↑ Wday. "Restraining order extended on Sacagawea Pipeline" by Amy Dalrymple. September 8, 2016.
- ↑ NPR/ "Dakota Access Pipeline Protests In North Dakota Turn Violent" September 4, 2016.
- ↑ KCTV. "Dakota Access Pipeline protest turns violent" September 4, 2016.
- ↑ CNN. "Tribe files emergency request to stop Dakota Access Pipeline" by Holly Yan and Shawn Nottingham. September 5, 2016.
- ↑ Indian Country Today Media Network. "Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Seeks Temporary Restraining Order Against Dakota Access Pipeline" September 5, 2016.
- ↑ NPR. "Army Corps Doesn't Oppose Temporary Halt To Dakota Access Pipeline" September 6, 2016.
- ↑ U.S. Corps of Engineers. "Motion for Temporary Restraining Order" September 5, 2016.
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Judge grants partial stop on North Dakota pipeline work" by Padmananda Rama. September 7, 2016.
- ↑ Osage Nation. "Osage Nation Joins Support Efforts for Sioux Tribe at Standing Rock in Pipeline Protest" September 2, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Radio. "Osage Nation Sends Support to Standing Rock Sioux" September 2, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Woodlands Holds Ribbon Cutting For New Track" September 2, 2016.
- ↑ Jamestown Sun. "Tribal consent at heart of court arguments over N.D. pipeline" by Mike Nowatzki. September 2, 2016.
- ↑ Des Moines Register. "30 arrested in bid to disrupt Iowa pipeline project" by William Petroski. September 1, 2016.
- ↑ Grand Forks Herald. "Another protest at other end of Dakota Access pipeline; 30 arrested in Iowa" by Erin Murphy. August 31, 2016.
- ↑ Motley Fool. "The 3 Best-Run Companies in the Oil and Gas Sector" by Tyler Crowe. August 31, 2016.
- ↑ Des Moines Register. "Judge rejects motion to restrict Iowa pipeline protesters" by William Petroski. August 30, 2016.
- ↑ Common Dreams. "Dakota Access Opposition Ramps Up in Iowa After Judge Rejects Restraining Order" by Lauren McCauley. August 31, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. Phillips 66 Makes Ecomonic Run Cuts at Linden Amid Weak Margins
- ↑ Houston Business Journal. "Phillips 66 exec to retire this week, replacement named" August 29, 2016.
- ↑ Associated Press. "Regulator: Dakota Access pipeline worker killed in accident" by James MacPherson. August 27, 2016.
- ↑ West Fargo Pioneer. "New court battle brewing on Sacagawea pipeline" by Amy Dalrymple. August 27, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66 Partners. "Phillips 66 Partners and Paradigm Energy Partners announce midstream logistics joint ventures" November 21, 2016.
- ↑ Dickinson Press. "Former worker says lake at risk of oil leak, pipeline contractor defends workmanship" August 5, 2016.
- ↑ WWL TV. "Small Business Association Flood Response" August 27, 2016.
- ↑ KATC Tv. "Plaquemines Parish tries to close levee breach near refinery" August 27, 2016.
- ↑ NOLA. "National Guard plugs levee breach in Plaquemines Parish" by Jed Lipinski. August 29, 2016.
- ↑ WWL TV. "Crews work to get Plaquemines Parish levee breach fixed" by Paul Murphy. August 30, 2016.
- ↑ Energy Business Review. "Phillips 66 Partners to buy Chevron’s South Louisiana NGL logistics assets" August 26, 2016.
- ↑ PBS. "Tribe will have to wait on Dakota Access Pipeline fate" by Mark Scialla. August 24, 2016.
- ↑ Des Moines Register. "Dakota Access pipeline wrecking soil, farmers complain" by Kevin Hardy. August 24, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. "Phillips 66 shuts gasoline-producing unit at Westlake refinery: sources" August 24, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Another Load to Refinery" by Rolf Clements. August 23, 2016.
- ↑ Nasdaq. "Oil Pipeline Project to Remain Stalled at Missouri River" August 23, 2016.
- ↑ New York Times. "Occupying the Prairie: Tensions Rise as Tribes Move to Block a Pipeline" by Jack Healy. August 23, 2016.
- ↑ Dakota Pipeline Facts. retrieved August 24, 2016.
- ↑ The Missoulian. "Pipeline replacement muddies Rattlesnake Creek" by Rob Chaney. August 24, 2016.
- ↑ Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. "Phillips 66 Splash Club: A time to remember, a time to celebrate" by Mike Tupa. August 18, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66 Splash Club retrieved August 18, 2016.
- ↑ Motley Fool. "Can Phillips 66 Survive with Low Refining Margins?" by David Lettis. August 19, 2016.
- ↑ Motley Fool. "Warren Buffett is loading up on this oil company" by Jason Hall. September 1, 2016.
- ↑ New Times. "Phillips 66 seeks six-month delay in rail spur hearing" by Chris McGuinness. August 17, 2016.
- ↑ The Santa Maria Times. "Oil train opponents staging rally Saturday in San Luis Obispo" by April Charlton. July 8, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. "Fire at Phillips 66 Louisiana refinery out, no injuries: official" August 15, 2016.
- ↑ KPLC. "Phillips 66: No injuries reported in fire" by Johnathan Manning. August 15, 2016.
- ↑ News at 6. "ConocoPhillips Announces More Layoffs" August 11, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Ponca City Employees In Bartlesville Affected By ConocoPhillips Cut" by Louise Abercrombie. April 2, 2015.
- ↑ Tulsa World. "ConocoPhillips jobs in jeopardy" by Rod Walton. November 8, 2008.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "‘Breakfast With Tim’ Set for Aug. 23" August 10, 2016.
- ↑ Ponca City News. "Tour of New Agency" August 8, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66 Partners. "Phillips 66 Partners and Paradigm Energy Partners announce midstream logistics joint ventures" November 21, 2016.
- ↑ Dickinson Press. "Former worker says lake at risk of oil leak, pipeline contractor defends workmanship" August 5, 2016.
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle. "Rodeo refinery to pay nearly $800,000 over pollution violations" by J. K. Dineen. August 3, 2016.
- ↑ Irish Independent. "Canadian firm agrees deal for Cork-based Whitegate oil refinery" August 3, 2016.
- ↑ Reuters. "Phillips 66 says refiners to cut production as margins shrink" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ MotleyFool. "What Really Mattered in Phillips 66's Second-Quarter Earnings" Tyler Crowe. August 2, 2016.
- ↑ FuelFix. "ConocoPhillips loss widens as oil prices stay low" by David Hunn. July 28, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66's (PSX) CEO Greg Garland on Q1 2016 Results - Earnings Call Transcript" April 29, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips 66. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Seeking Alpha. "Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Earnings of $496 Million or $0.93 Per Share" July 29, 2016.
- ↑ NewsOK. "Polyethylene pilot plant dedicated" July 28, 2016.
- ↑ Tulsa World. "Chevron Phillips Chemical celebrates completion of new polyethylene pilot plant" by Casey Smith. July 28, 2016.
- ↑ San Luis Obispo Tribune. "Phillips 66 oil-by-rail project may be in jeopardy" July 22, 2016.
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- ↑ Los Angeles Times. "A catastrophic oil train derailment in Oregon raises
