CARSON CITY, NV. — The Nevada Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association (NPM&CSA) has rebranded the association to become the Energy and Convenience Association of Nevada (ECAN).
"For over 30 years, the NPM&CSA name and logo have served the organization well but no longer reflect the modern, forward-thinking ethos required to engage with today's stakeholders," stated ECAN President Kyle Call, Maverick, Salt Lake City, UT.
"The energy and convenience industries have undergone significant transformations, especially in Nevada," continued Call. "This rebrand represents more than just a new name and logo; it's a reflection of our commitment to innovation and progress. As ECAN, we're better positioned to lead our members into a future defined by sustainability, technological advancements, and an ever-evolving marketplace. Together, we'll continue to champion the success of our industries and the communities we serve."
As part of the rebranding, ECAN has developed a new logo and website, as well as expanding its advocacy efforts in Nevada.
ECAN has also established a new organization within the association: Leaders in Energy & Convenience (LE&C), an industry-wide initiative designed to support women in their personal and professional growth. LE&C will be holding their first Mentorship Week, beginning April 21, offering opportunities for women in the industry to select specific goals they would like to achieve and then matching them with mentors to help develop their skills, expand their networks, and achieve long-term success. Men are encouraged to participate in LE&C activities by joining as Allies.
The ECAN rebrand and expanded initiatives began in January.
LV PETROLEUM EXPANDS INTO MISSOURI
LAS VEGAS, NV. — LV Petroleum has acquired two travel centers in Missouri, continuing the expansion of the Western company across the United States.
The two properties — Ozark Travel Center in Mt. Vernon, MO., and TA Strafford in Strafford, MO. — were acquired from Wilmouth Oil Company in January. Both of the properties operate under the TA brand. The Ozarks Travel Center includes nine diesel lanes, three truck service bays, three QSRs and 26 gasoline fueling positions. The Strafford site includes eight diesel lanes, two truck service bays, four gasoline fueling positions, and two QSRs.
With this latest acquisition, LVP now operates 30 travel centers and the company reports they have six large format travel centers under development.
"This strategic acquisition is a transformative step for LVP as we continue to deliver on our promise to provide exceptional service and innovative solutions to travelers. These travel centers represent key hubs for convenience and connectivity, and we are excited to integrate them into our network," said Quyntyn Johnson, president of LV Petroleum, announcing the deal.
In addition to its travel center network, LV Petroleum operates service stations and convenience stores in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Kansas including 20 sites in the greater Las Vegas Metro area retailing under the Conoco and Gulf brands, and four sites in the greater Phoenix area under the 76 brand.
LV Petroleum had previously specialized in the development and
operations of gasoline stations and convenience stores in the Las Vegas
market. The company has acquired and rehabbed or developed and then sold over 40 locations in the last 12 years.
COSTCO ADDING EV CHARGERS
KIRKLAND, WA. — Costco Wholesale has entered into a partnership with EV charging company Electrify America to add chargers to several of its warehouse locations.
The chargers are Hyper-Fast DC chargers, capable of speeds up to 350 kW. The chargers can add about 20 miles of range per minute of charging. The Hyper-Fast chargers are the most powerful offered in the Electrify America network.
The Costco warehouse locations that have the chargers installed are at the 4774 Airport Way Costco in Denver, CO., with six chargers, at 4107 Sierra College in Loomis, CA., with 14 chargers, at 7220 Johnson Drive in Pleasanton, CA., with 10 chargers, at 3881 E. Commerce Way in Sacramento, CA., with 10 chargers, and in Clermont, FL., with six chargers.
Company officials say they will roll out charger installation in two more phases. No timeline for the installation has been announced.
The Electrify America chargers require a membership with the Electrify America network. EV charging is activated via the Electrify America app or from the driver's vehicle utilizing the vehicle's Apple CarPlay or Android Auto apps.
PILOT TO OFFER B99 AT TRAVEL CENTERS
KNOXVILLE, TN. — Pilot has announced plans to offer B99 biodiesel at the company's travel centers.
The first location to offer B99 biodiesel is at Pilot's travel center in Decatur, Illinois.
Announcing the program, Pilot officials said they chose the Decatur location through collaboration with ADM and PepsiCo, "operator of one of North America's largest private fleets," which will be using the biodiesel to fuel its vehicles.
Pilot officials said the B99 offering "sets a milestone in sustainable energy by bringing B99 into the travel center space, helping make low-carbon solutions more accessible to fleets."
"We know how important sustainability is to our customers and strive to help meet these growing needs for more sustainable fuel options for commercial fleets," said Eric Fobes, head of renewables at Pilot. "Introducing B99 at our travel centers is another way we support fleets committed to reducing carbon emissions."
This initial rollout will feature installations of B99 biodiesel dispensing capabilities at Pilot locations in Illinois, Iowa, and Texas.
USA IS WORLD'S LARGEST GASOLINE EXPORTER
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States is the world's largest exporter of motor gasoline, with a 16% share of total global exports.
According to a recent report by the Energy Information Administration, U.S. motor gasoline exports — finished gasoline plus gasoline blending components — averaged 900,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2023.
The majority of U.S. motor gasoline exports (over 500,000 b/d) go to Mexico with the remainder going primarily to Central American and South American countries. Over 90% of U.S. gasoline exports came from the U.S. Gulf Coast (PADD 3).
The EIA noted that United States was a net importer of motor gasoline from 1961 to 2015. However, that trend changed during the past decade. The agency attributed increasing refinery capacity from 2010 to 2023 and rising production from existing refineries through increased utilization to the ability to export excess production.
They also noted that while refinery capacity has grown, U.S. consumption of gasoline has not, making more gasoline available for export.
Motor gasoline accounts for the third largest share of U.S. refined product exports, behind propane — primarily exported to Asia — and distillate fuel oil.
In 2023, the top five gasoline exporters following the United States were Singapore, the Netherlands, India, and China, in that order.
