The companies, workers and associations that make up the vast supply chain of the U.S. energy industry are enacting sweeping measures to ensure the continued and safe supply of energy to American citizens as the country locks down amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executives from trade associations representing critical elements of the country’s energy supply network—from oil and gas production to transportation pipelines to fuel and petrochemical manufacturing—said March 18 their member companies are putting into action emergency plans to protect their workers and the safety of the U.S. energy supply.

Suzanne Lemiuex, manager of operations, security and emergency response policy for the American Petroleum Institute, said lessons learned from previous disruptions such as hurricanes and the Ebola epidemic in 2016 in West Africa have prepared oil and gas developers for possible threats to production. She asserted that even with the industry’s workforce taking precautions against possible infection, the country’s energy supply will remain unaffected.

“We don’t see currently any threats to our supply chain,” Lemiuex said. “There are a lot of conditions that we’re operating under and may see in the future that are similar to what happens during a hurricane or a natural disaster. The ways that we’re able to reduce staff at certain facilities allows us to keep those operations running while going to minimal staffing.”

Lemiuex and others said on March 18 that their associations and members were closely following guidelines and recommendations regarding personal safety set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy and a host of other federal, state and local agencies.  

“But as far as production, refining and transportation, we don’t see a scenario that would directly affect the supply chain at this point,” she said.

John Stoody, vice president of government and public relations for the Association of Oil Pipelines, said that in addition to its member companies instituting social distancing practices and personal hygiene recommendations for its workers, actions are underway to ensure the security and proper operations of liquid distribution pipelines.

“We’re continuing pipeline management programs to inspect, maintain and monitor our pipeline systems in ways that protect the public and environment health, and we stay in close contact with fellow pipeline operating companies to exchange information on best practices for continued operations during this challenge,” he said.

Another key focus for energy providers is ensuring their key personnel—those critical to production, manufacturing and delivery operations—remain safe and avoid possible infection of COVID-19. This could mean isolating them from other segments of operations, said Andrew Lu, managing director, operations and engineering services for the American Gas Association (AGA).

“Tier 1 employees, or employees who are considered essential as far as responding to emergency situations, or field personnel responding to leak investigation calls, control room operators who are monitoring pressures along the system and who are required to identify abnormal operating conditions, they are taking extra steps to keep those workers separate from other workers and looking at situations that could reduce their potential of exposure,” he said.

Lu added that the AGA and its members have had regular discussions with energy suppliers in Washington and New York—the two states that have so far seen the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases—to better understand supply challenges in highly effected areas.

Lara Swett, vice president of technical and safety programs for the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, said refineries throughout America are limiting visitors, implementing alternative staffing schedules and putting in action business continuity plans to accommodate staffing needs should a worker test positive for the virus.

“The U.S. refineries are critical infrastructure and national security assets and are prepared for a range of disruptive events, including situations of natural disasters and medical emergencies,” she said. “Our plants have had existing pandemic plans in place to ensure continued operations in order to supply America’s energy needs.”

In the case of a possible larger-scale outbreak of infected workers, companies have discussed the possibility of transferring workers from other locations to ensure operations are not disrupted, said CJ Osman, vice president, operations, safety and integrity for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America.

“One of the things that our members are looking at is making plans to respond to particular locations with folks from other locations if there is a particular challenge in one area, similar to the types of plans we have in place to respond to an operational disruption by using the full scope of our workforce from alternate locations,” he said. “Our members recognize that they are going to have to continue to think ahead and think about potential contingencies that could occur.

“Given the robust nature of our emergency planning well in advance of this event, and the available resources that we’ve been able to muster to respond to this particular event, we feel confident we’ll be able to address those contingencies should they occur,” Osman added. “Really it does start now to ensure that we’re taking steps today.”