Dear UPA members and friends,

In recent months and weeks, our nation’s energy industry has received a lot of attention. While that attention and some of the speculation about what lies ahead for our country’s future certainly creates uncertainty, I want to take it as an opportunity to say how proud I am of our industry. Utah’s oil and gas industry has stepped up to the challenge, working tirelessly behind the scenes of this pandemic to ensure the lights stay on, our stores are stocked and emergency responders have the PPE and the fuel they need.

I am writing this edition of our newsletter on Nov. 3, Election Day. By the time we work through multiple revisions and edits, printing, and distribution, our nation’s path ahead should have some clarity. I’m terrible at gambling, can’t pull off a poker face and always pick the slowest line. I will keep my predictions to myself. You may have also noticed that patience does not come naturally for those of you who know me. For many of you out there with a similar challenge, my coping mechanism for today and for likely several weeks to come is to focus on what our industry needs to do to be positioned for long-term success. It would be foolish to downplay the significance of the current election – it will bring fundamental changes to our energy landscape and our nation as a whole, and our global geopolitical system. But regardless of if we are about to feel the “woosh” of the pendulum swing in the coming months or if we have another election cycle before it comes barreling toward us, rest assured it is coming. Our collective focus is understandably on our national politics, but our local elections are also likely to show hints of changes coming ahead.

The world is changing; it always has been. Perhaps the current perception of the rate of change accelerating is real, or maybe it’s an amplification compounded by the challenges and anxieties we face from COVID. Either way, I hope we can all agree that the world and our industry are changing. Change isn’t necessarily bad; it pushes us to grow, improve, innovate. Innovating is precisely how we, as an industry, will not only survive but continue to thrive. Whether we speak to global challenges like climate change and sustainability or focus on more immediate challenges here at home, such as elevated ozone along the Wasatch Front and Uintah Basin, innovation will prove America’s energy industry will again step up to the challenge.

The energy industry has always helped solve the challenges of the places that we call home, and we look forward to continuing to do so. Utah’s oil and gas industry is highly integrated with much of the energy we use every day produced, transported, and refined all within our state. And that responsible, affordable, and local energy production is going to be a cornerstone in driving our state’s economic recovery.

We’ve already seen Utah show faster recovery than our national average in terms of refining capacity up and running and fuels demand recovery. Our local energy production allows for affordable energy, which is the backbone of keeping our businesses running and our homes warm. Our industry provides some of the highest wages in the state so that our rural communities can continue to thrive.

However, we recognize the challenges ahead and are trusted partners helping to solve our communities’ and our world’s most challenging problems. We are committed to being part of the solution. For example, here in Salt Lake, we have voluntarily committed and are now producing Tier 3 fuels – which, when paired with a T3 vehicle, is the air quality equivalent of taking three out of four cars off the road. As we kick off our renewed social media presence, we will highlight innovation in the energy industry and right here at home – and how it is positioning America’s and Utah’s energy industry for long term success.

We still have work to do but are committed to being part of the solution. At the heart of it, we are innovators and technology companies. We always have been, and we always will be. Today’s energy industry looks nothing like that of the past, and I am excited for what our future holds.