Schedule

Education Highlights

Opening General Session
Tuesday, May 2
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Cross Winds: The Outlook for US & Global Refining
Tom Kloza, Global Head of Energy Analysis, OPIS

Updrafts, downdrafts and outright wind shear are in store for North American and international fuels’ markets in the next 18 months. The first half of 2023 may see 410,000 b/d of new refining in the U.S. but the year could end with some key refinery closings. Meanwhile, some huge international plants threaten to alter supply and demand dynamics in the North Atlantic, Latin America, and through the Pacific Rim. It all adds up to very uneven supply for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Veteran OPIS oil analyst Tom Kloza will look at the North American hot spots and sore spots and detail why the “coming attractions” for new production capacity represent colossal “head fakes” for supply.

Breakfast Education Session
Wednesday, May 3
8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.

Retail Fueling and Convenience Store Metamorphosis: Partial History, Current Trends, and New Technology
Moderator: Christian Kalischefski, WT Group
Panelists: Brian Trout, Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association, Inc, Brian Wente, Trio Graham Enterprises Inc, Joel Szukhent, PorterSIPS, and Mark Hodges, Source North American Corp.

Lunch Education Session
Wednesday, May 3
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

A Pump-side Chat: Connecting Convenience in the Store and at the Pump
Bethany Allee, PDI Technologies, Greg Crow, PDI Technologies, and Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy, A PDI Company

What’s happening in the backcourt can be influenced by the forecourt, with evolving consumer preferences playing a big part in both. Not to mention the impacts of inflation, EVs & energy transformation, and other external factors regarding where and when consumers shop and fill up. Greg Crow, VP Insights at PDI Technologies, and Patrick De Haan, Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy, dive deeper into trends inside and outside the c-store and then answer questions with moderator Bethany Allee.

Breakout Sessions
Wednesday, May 3

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The Power of Clean Data for Migration
Dylan Gamboa, iRely

At any given moment, your business is rapidly producing a multitude of data. With so much data, you risk operating unprotected from the dangers of data explosion. For larger companies, it’s easy to address these challenges. But for smaller businesses on a strict budget, data cleaning and migration can be critical. In this session, we’ll take a deep dive into the different methods of cleaning up your data to optimize it and share the five ways this can save your business time and money and mitigate risk.

The Risk is Real: Managing Physical and Transition Risks Related to Climate Change
Danielle Pucherelli, Antea Group

In this session, we’ll discuss existing and future risk profiles related to physical risks (severe weather) and transition risks resulting from the transition to the low carbon economy. First, we’ll introduce the trends related to the costs associated with severe weather events and how incorporating forward-looking projections into enterprise risk management and emergency management frameworks is becoming standard practice. The session will cover methods for identifying risks as well as tactical and strategic risk mitigation strategies. We’ll then discuss some of the industry predictions regarding demand for fossil-based liquid fuels and what we are seeing as companies with significant revenue dependency on fossil fuels begin to develop low-carbon growth strategies. Finally, this will segue into the increased investor and regulatory pressures compelling companies to disclose the methods used to identify climate-related risks and potential impacts to these operations. We will cover tools that can help companies develop meaningful disclosures that will help preserve enterprise and shareholder value.

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Retail Fuel Network Planning: Making Better Decisions
Charles Wetzel, Kalibrate and Troy Hulehan, The Spinx Company

Getting the most from your fuel network planning can drive a lot of success in your business, but you need the right tools and information to get started. Join us for a conversation with Charles Wetzel, Kalibrate’s CEO, and Troy Hulehan from Spinx for insights into the best practice strategy solutions. Not only does a market plan need to be iterative and agile, it needs to be supported by a strong data plan to underpin your network planning strategies. Understanding trade areas, competitors, and consumers are key. How trends are evolving in 2023 and beyond as well as how EV planning fits into your network planning strategies can give you the insight to consider your customers of today and tomorrow.

What a Difference Two Years Makes: EV Outlook to 2030 and What It Means for Energy Demand
Jeff Meyer, S&P Global Commodity Insights

What a difference two years make. The past two years has witnessed—including from policy, industry, and market perspectives—what in retrospect may be the seeds of an “EV revolution.” At the beginning of 2021, the battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) share of light vehicle (LV) sales in mainland China, key European markets, and the United States was 6%; by the end of 2022, it had risen to above 20%. Will the “EV revolution” continue to unfold in the coming years? This session will explore how recent policy and industry developments have accelerated timelines for the shift from sales of conventional ICE vehicles to EVs; present an overview of recent global EV market trends, putting the United States in a global context; and share a perspective on how the US and global LV powertrain mix may evolve and implications for liquid fuels demand.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Leveraging Internet Technology for Better UST Compliance
Ben Thomas, UST Training, Inc.

There are plenty of digital tools out there to improve UST compliance if you know what’s available. See what’s out there, what works, and why you should consider these at-your-fingertips technological solutions. Learn about online solutions for inventory, test results, alarm response, monthly inspections, advanced ATG features, compliance scheduling reporting, UST operator training (of course) and more! We will discuss the evolution of UST compliance tools, various web based compliance technologies, and other ideas to help with efficiency and help compliance officers navigate the myriad of tools available today.

How to Prepare for a Sale From a Personal and Business Perspective
Dan Head and Akhil Patel, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

Getting the best result in a business deal is always the goal – but you have to make sure you consider all of your strategic options, personal wealth planning and the emotional preparation to reach that best outcome. Join us for an illustrative conversation, done interview-style, on the ups and downs of balancing valuation expectations, dealing with business issues that might lie within a company and its infrastructure, as well as personal issues that arise within multi-generational companies. While it can be daunting, beginning an M&A process without addressing these issues can lead to a value below expectations or even failure. Quarterbacking an M&A process in the right way, by getting house and business in order, can lead to the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

Business Meeting and General Session
Thursday, May 4
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Welcome and SIGMA President’s Report
Dale Boyett, Boyett Petroleum, President

SIGMA Committee Reports

Breaking Down the EPA’s Proposed Renewable Fuels Standard “Reset”
Brian Milne, DTN

The Environmental Protection Agency expanded volume targets under the federal RFS program through 2025, with a significant proposed change. For the first time, electricity from renewable resources used to charge electric vehicles will be allowed to generate renewable identification numbers (RINs). We will break down the proposed rule, consider the effect the expansion of ethanol blending requirements will have on the U.S. gasoline market, and explore the growing impact of EVs in the transportation pool.

Economic Outlook: From Here to Price Stability
Michael Gregory, BMO

Although inflation has fallen from 40-year highs, it’s proving to be stubborn on the way down, forcing the Fed’s hand. By the time of the conference, the FOMC will likely have raised policy rates at least another 50 basis points, lifting the fed funds target range to 5.00%-to-5.25%, just a bit below the level hit before the Great Recession in 2007. Meantime, despite some early-year economic momentum, the cumulative impact of 500 basis points worth of tightening should be coming home to roost. At least a mild recession seems likely and perhaps necessary to restore price stability.