Trust, transparency and simplicity.

Those are the keys to doing business, Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Mark Lashier told an executive panel in Oklahoma City.

“You’ve got to have trust-based relationships with the people you do business with,” said Lashier at an Oklahoma Energy Institute event held in collaboration with the American Association of Professional Landmen. “You’ve got to be transparent with them and keep things as simple as possible. That’s how things get done.”

Lashier spoke alongside Rick Muncrief, president and CEO of Devon Energy, an Oklahoma City exploration and production company, and Pierce Norton, president and CEO of midstream operator ONEOK, based in Tulsa.

Moderated by Ann Bluntzer, executive director of Oklahoma State University’s Hamm Institute for American Energy, the panel touched on a range of topics, from business practices like trust, transparency and simplicity to energy policy to technology.

Looking ahead, Lashier said he expects some permitting reform and a stable tax outlook, but he said both traditional and renewable fuels will be needed to meet energy demand. “Consistent energy policy is what we’re after,” he said.

“It’s going to be an all-of-the-above solution,” said Lashier. “We need technologies with the lowest impact on the environment, and also high energy density liquid hydrocarbons that allow you to move around in ways that are safe.”

On technology, Lashier said Phillips 66’s history of innovation has allowed the company to embrace artificial intelligence.

“AI boils down to helping our people make better decisions faster and to positioning us better in the marketplace,” said Lashier. “We’re going to continue to provide energy no matter what the molecule is, and to focus on molecule management the best possible way to get you the products you need to improve your lives.”

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The Humber Refinery in the United Kingdom and the Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex in Louisiana both produce a critical material used in lithium-ion batteries. It’s called specialty coke, and it’s used to make synthetic graphite anodes for the batteries that power EVs and electronics like smartphones. Specialty coke is also an important resource for helping reduce the steel industry’s carbon footprint.

“We are driving innovations that are essential to a lower-carbon future for everyone. We have the people, capabilities and assets to meet the rising demand, and it’s exciting to know that our products are helping create change in the energy industry and in many other industries as well,” said Zhanna Golodryga, Phillips 66’s Executive Vice President, Emerging Energy and Sustainability.

Meeting the Growing Battery Demand

When it comes to lithium-ion battery production, Phillips 66 has a business advantage. Humber is the only facility that produces specialty coke in Europe, and with that asset and Lake Charles, Phillips 66 is well positioned to be a leading supplier of battery anode precursor materials on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. battery market is growing. The International Energy Agency predicts that by 2030, almost one in five cars sold in the United States will be electric. Government incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act are encouraging U.S. companies to develop battery production capabilities.

“High-quality graphite anodes are instrumental in developing EV batteries that provide greater driving range, faster charging and enhanced longevity,” said Scott Brombosz, Technical Director of Phillips 66’s Emerging Energy organization and a former battery scientist.

Enabling Sustainable Steel Production

According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, a key factor in decarbonizing the steel industry is an accelerated adoption of electric arc furnace (EAF) technology, which generates about 75% fewer emissions compared to blast furnace steel production. EAFs use graphite electrodes to create electric arcs to melt scrap steel or other iron material to produce recycled steel. Graphite electrodes made from Phillips 66 specialty coke manufactured at the Humber and Lake Charles refineries help to efficiently channel the power required to produce liquid steel from the scrap sources, which promotes sustainability through material efficiency and recyclability.

Ensuring Consistency and Reliability

Whether the specialty coke is destined for the steel industry or battery manufacturing, Phillips 66 leverages proprietary processes and on-site coke testing laboratories to assure a high level of consistency in product quality. Phillips 66 production sites also benefit from the expertise of the company’s Energy Research and Innovation Center in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, which has conducted dedicated research in specialty coke for decades.

“Ultimately,” said Golodryga, “Phillips 66’s technical know-how, proven track record and strategically located assets position the company as a reliable supplier to customers in North America and globally.”

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The newest member of the Phillips 66 executive leadership team knows how to get things done.

Tandra Perkins, who took on the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Administrative Officer last October, tells her team to focus, keep things simple and execute.

“It’s our responsibility to develop solutions and new ideas, but to take them through the last mile so that they stick and they’re sustainable,” she says.

As a leader, Perkins values authenticity and integrity, and says her approach to leadership and encouraging others comes from looking at how to use opportunities to do good.

“I have come to learn in life that the things you go through, the things you do and the opportunities you’re afforded are actually not about you,” says Perkins. “They’re about the people you can impact around you.”

In a video series featuring Phillips 66 leaders, Perkins talks about her leadership style and how she sees Phillips 66 leading the way in digital technologies.

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“Our mission is to provide energy and improve lives, whatever form that energy takes,” he said in the interview, published April 3 as a cover story in the newspaper’s business magazine. Whatever the world needs — be it cars or kayaks — Phillips 66 will be looking at ways to deliver that energy, he added. 

Lashier covered a number of topics in the interview, including new technologies and innovative projects related to the energy transition. Among them: the company’s conversion of the San Francisco Refinery in Rodeo, California, into one of the world’s largest facilities for renewable fuels. 

He also discussed the company’s efforts to market hydrogen as a transportation fuel, develop sustainable aviation fuel and produce a specialty carbon material that goes into lithium-ion batteries. 

Lashier said Phillips 66 is lowering the carbon footprint of the fuels it produces, in part by reducing the amount of energy consumed at its facilities, as well as looking at carbon-capture technologies.  

Meanwhile, all the company’s moves into emerging energy are underpinned by a commitment to Phillips 66 shareholders.  “The intent is to ensure that we’re providing returns to our investors,” Lashier told reporter Amanda Drane (pictured).

Lashier said U.S. gasoline demand may have peaked with more stringent fuel economy standards and electric vehicles coming into the marketplace, but the company’s core businesses will stay relevant with global demand for liquid fuels continuing to rise.   

In particular, demand for diesel and jet fuel will see strong growth, he said.  “We may have to figure out how to make more diesel and jet fuel and less gasoline, but the assets are going to be there, and the jobs will continue to be there,” said Lashier.   

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Among the latest to enjoy this crowning achievement are engineers Mandy Johnston and Barbara Todd and scientist Lisa Myers. Now, as members of the Fellows team in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, they are charged with innovative oversight for Phillips 66. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, these three trailblazers offer their advice for the next generation of women scientists and engineers.

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“Phillips 66 is committed to keeping plastics out of the environment and driving toward a more circular economy where plastics packaging is reused, recycled or recovered,” said Zhanna Golodryga, Executive Vice President of Emerging Energy and Sustainability at Phillips 66. “The ISCC PLUS certification highlights the company’s resolve to create sustainable streams for waste materials and to support the growth of advanced recycling in plastics.”

The ISCC PLUS certification verifies the refinery meets the standards to process pyrolysis oil made from hard-to-recycle waste plastics into circular ethane, circular propane, circular propylene and other sustainable feedstocks and petrochemical building blocks. The products will be used to support polymer producers — including Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, Phillips 66’s 50-50 joint venture — that are advancing a circular economy for plastics.

Pyrolysis oil is a substance, with properties similar to crude oil, that is generated through pyrolysis, where heat is used to break waste materials into their chemical components. It can be generated from a range of waste materials, including plastic, tires and biomass, that is subsequently refined to upgradable starting materials. The pyrolysis oil processed by Phillips 66 will be provided by third parties.

ISCC is a globally applicable and industry recognized sustainability certification system that covers sustainable feedstocks, including circular feedstocks produced from plastic waste. Its ISCC PLUS certificate covers bio-based and recycled, or circular, raw materials.

Sweeny Refinery, which is located in Old Ocean, Texas, on the Gulf Coast, is the second Phillips 66 refinery to achieve an ISCC PLUS certification and the first for the processing of waste plastic pyrolysis oil into circular feedstocks. Its Humber Refinery in the U.K. is ISCC PLUS certified to process used cooking oil, food waste and other circular feedstocks.

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The company announced the installation of FreeWire ultrafast electric-vehicle chargers at its station near Houston Headquarters, marking the debut of ultrafast EV charging at a convenience fuel station in the city.

Phillips 66 and FreeWire unveiled plans earlier this year to deploy FreeWire’s ultrafast, battery-integrated technology to meet the growing demand from EV drivers for high-speed, on-the-go charging. Phillips 66 will leverage its network of approximately 7,000 Phillips 66^®, Conoco^® and 76^® branded U.S. sites and other strategic locations. The chargers are the first commissioned FreeWire chargers in Texas.

The introduction of the EV chargers reflects Phillips 66’s commitment to working to meet the world’s growing energy needs while reducing its environmental footprint. The company has focused its Emerging Energy and Sustainability business strategy on four pillars: renewable fuels, batteries, carbon capture and hydrogen.

“The installation of the first FreeWire EV chargers at our Phillips 66 flagship fuel station represents an important step in our EV charging journey as well as our commitment to pursue lower-carbon solutions,” said Rod Palmer, Vice President of U.S. Marketing at Phillips 66. “FreeWire’s charger offers consumers the fast-charging experience they’re looking for, and Phillips 66’s branded network of fueling locations places the chargers at existing, strategically located sites.”

FreeWire’s Boost Charger is a more convenient option for sites looking to enter the EV charging space. It connects to existing infrastructure without burdensome construction costs and permitting restraints. The battery charges at off-peak times when power is cheaper, reducing operational costs for the site, while still providing the needed capacity to give consumers a rapid charge.

“We are excited to mark this milestone with Phillips 66 and to make our fast-charging solution available to more EV drivers,” said Arcady Sosinov, FreeWire Founder and CEO. “As charging demand continues to surge, our battery-integrated chargers offer the streamlined, shovel-ready solution that many entering the EV charging space are looking for.”

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“The energy transition doesn’t mean we’re getting out of Refining or Midstream,” said Lashier. “We believe that a lower-carbon future depends on all types of energy.” 

In his remarks, Lashier recalled with fondness the town where he began his career some 30 years ago while looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities facing Phillips 66. He said the company must be the best it can be, which is why it’s undergoing a business transformation. 

The transformation will allow Phillips 66 to thrive in any number of scenarios, said Lashier. “Rising to challenges is what the people of Phillips 66 do,” he said. “We have an opportunity to own the future and to write the next chapter of this great company.” 

While the company is competing in the low-carbon future, Lashier said it plans to do so thoughtfully and deliberately, focusing on opportunities that will create value. 

After the chamber event, Lashier and the other members of the Executive Leadership Team who traveled with him toured the Phillips 66 Innovation Labs at Bartlesville High School. With the help of a $1.7 million grant from Phillips 66, Innovation Labs for STEM programs were established at each of the public secondary schools in Bartlesville. 

Lashier’s day started with a Town Hall at the Adams Building, where he spoke to Bartlesville employees about the importance of humility as Phillips 66 embarks on the road ahead. He said employees must realize no one person has all the answers.  

“We have to understand we can’t do it alone,” he said. “All of the answers come from us collectively.” 

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“Our carbon-capture facility would be the first of its kind for a refinery,” said Chris Gilbert, Humber Decarbonization Projects Manager. “This has the potential to have a huge impact on reducing industry carbon emissions and support refineries across the globe to do the same through knowledge-sharing.”

Humber Zero is a carbon-reduction project that aims to prevent up to 8 million tons of carbon dioxide from the Immingham industrial area entering the atmosphere by around 2030.

Forty-one CCUS and hydrogen projects across the UK were eligible for consideration, so Humber’s inclusion on the shortlist puts it on track to potentially receive future financial support from the UK government. The government will offer revenue contracts to cover the cost of operating with CCS, as well as potential access to capital support from the £1bn CCS Infrastructure Fund.

The shortlisted projects plan to connect to a carbon dioxide transport and storage network of clusters throughout the UK.

“This announcement provides confidence that CCUS and net zero remain a government priority,” said Gilbert. “Carbon capture and storage is vital in supporting the decarbonization of the UK industry.”

The Humber Zero project is just one of many lower-carbon initiatives at Humber. It’s the only European refinery to produce specialty graphite coke used in electrical vehicle batteries, the first in the UK to make and supply sustainable aviation fuel at industrial scale, and is a collaborator in the Gigastack project, which aims to supply the refinery with hydrogen produced from electrolysis using renewable power. 

For more information on Humber Zero, visit humberzero.co.uk.

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Phillips 66 Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Administrative Officer Zhanna Golodryga drove that message home at the recently held Reuters Events Global Energy Transition 2022 conference in Brooklyn, New York. 

“Our digital capabilities are empowering our people to deliver business outcomes that are supporting our efforts around sustainability and a lower-carbon future,” Golodryga said.

Golodryga joined fellow energy experts Sergio Merchan of electric, gas and renewable energy provider AVANGRID and John Galyen of Danish engineering and technology company Danfoss for a panel on the intersection of digital transformation and the energy transition. The panel was moderated by Sandy Jones of Deloitte. 

Golodryga shared highlights and lessons from the company’s digital transformation, which Phillips 66 embarked on more than four years ago. Golodryga also described how results around agility, efficiencies and smarter business outcomes are enabling a broader business transformation as Phillips 66 delivers on its commitment to provide affordable, reliable energy while advancing opportunities in the emerging energy space and reducing its carbon footprint.

 “It has been exciting for our employees to see the change that we have been able to bring to the organization,” she said. “Digital brings together three major assets — our people above all else, our physical assets and data — and empowers the organization to deliver business outcomes and thrive.” 

Beyond those outcomes, the continuous adoption and implementation of technologies are imperatives for Phillips 66 and the industry in their drive to recruit and retain top talent.

“The new generations of talent are digitally native, and we have to be well positioned to attract them,” Golodryga said. “They are coming into the energy industry for two specific reasons: They know that technology in our industry is critically important, and being part of the energy transition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The company’s digital transformation is fundamentally changing the way people at Phillips 66 work and unleashing collaboration and innovation throughout the company, Golodryga said. 

“It’s been a fascinating journey so far, and it’s not going to end,” Golodryga said. “I am a big believer that digital doesn’t just meet the energy transition — it enables it.” 

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