The US still has a strong oil products and petrochemical supply system, but projects to keep it that way face midstream transportation project permit decisions delays which need to be addressed, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Association said in a July 10 report. “Today, the US is developing its energy resources at record levels, but to continue, our infrastructure must keep pace,” AFPM Pres. Chet Thompson said.
US refiners and petrochemical manufacturers are investing billions of dollars in new infrastructure, he pointed out. “But crucial investments rely on ensuring that federal policies provide regulatory certainty to efficiently build out a network that reliably delivers America’s energy and keeps our economy competitive,” Thompson said.
Citing National Association of Environmental Professionals figures, AFPM’s report said that it took the federal government an average 1,166 days (3.2 years) in 2000 to complete an environmental impact statement required under the National Environmental Policy Act. “By 2016, the time required had ballooned to 1,862 days (5.1 years), not including the time needed for required state and regional analyses,” it continued.
Infrastructure, including oil midstream transportation systems which serve the refining and petrochemical industries, is the US economy’s backbone, the report observed.
“AFPM supports policies and programs that streamline the long and often complex process of planning, permitting, and financing infrastructure projects to ensure that needed investments are quickly and efficiently made in the multimodal infrastructure network that drives our economy and fosters American posterity,” it said.
AFPM separately noted that in 2017, approximately 43.3 million bbl of crude oil, refined products, and natural gas liquids, and 79.1 billion pounds of plastic resins moved through the US midstream oil infrastructure networks each day.
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