Agenda

The agenda may be subject to change. Please check this page for any updates.

 

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
3:00 - 7:00 pm
 Registration
5:30 - 7:00 pm
 Pre-Conference Reception

 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009
8:00 - 9:00 am
 Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 9:15 am
 Chairperson's Welcome Remarks
Session I - Overview, Crude and Products Outlook
9:15 - 9:40 am

Why Did Crude Reach $150: Will it Return?

  • Impact of financial market
  • Economics and demand views
  • OPEC response
  • Where are we headed in 2009?
9:40 - 10:05 am
 Trouble in Paradise: Canada’s Oil Boom Takes a Breather
  • Update on major upstream projects – delays, cutbacks and cancellations
  • Recent forecasts on Canada’s crude output, and how that measures up against other producers
  • Transportation issues – pipeline expansions and the diluent dilemma
  • Potential price discovery/indexing issues looming
  • Canada’s renewed interest in diversifying its customer base
10:05 - 10:30 am
 Light-Heavy Crude Outlook - Implications for Cokers
  • Factors causing the high light-heavy price spread
  • Future supply and demand for coker feedstock
  • Impact on future coker projects or coker expansions
10:30 - 10:45 am
 Q&A
10:45 - 11:15 am
 Networking Break
11:15 - 11:40 am
 Rationalizing Uncertain Times
  • Crude crunch - refiners response, Opec's dilemma
  • Refining capacity - rationalization vs. expansion
  • Alternatives to meet demand
  • Bottom line for barrel bottoms
Session II - Funding for Highways
11:40 - 12:05 pm
 Highway Funding- A View from Capitol Hill
  • Changes to expect from the Obama administration
  • Lessons learned from the economic stimulus bill
  • Prospects for a timely 2009 Highway Reauthorization bill
12:05 - 12:30 pm
 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Asphalt Demand
  • Breakdown of the stimulus funding
  • Timing for release of funds
  • What does this mean for asphalt
  • State by state funding 
12:30 - 12:45 pm
 Q&A
12:45 - 2:00 pm
 Lunch
Session III - Asphalt Supply and Demand
2:00 - 2:30 pm
 Asphalt Statistics
  • US production, demand, imports, exports by PADD
  • Canada production, demand, imports and exports by region
2:30 - 3:00 pm
 The Ever Changing Asphalt Market
  • Asphalt refineries - simple vs complex
  • Asphalt supply/demand fundamentals 
  • Changes in trade patterns
  • Impact of coking capacity on asphalt supply 
3:00 - 3:30 pm
 The Asphalt Market in Mexico
  • History
  • Actual situation
  • Actual problems
  • Pemex Asphalt Logistics advantages and problems
  • Asphalts imports and balance demand
  • Possibilities and Future
3:30 - 3:45 pm
 Q&A
3:45 - 4:15 pm
 Networking Break
Session IV - Transportation: Shipping and Rail Car Availability
4:15 - 4:40 pm
 Asphalt Tank Car Availability for Shipping
  • Asphalt tank car description
  • Main suppliers of asphalt tank cars
  • Availability of cars
  • New cars coming on-line
  • Is there enough rail car capacity if demand surges and asphalt travels longer distances?
4:40 - 5:05 pm
 Trans-Atlantic Asphalt Shipping
  • Current shipping capacity
  • Changes in trade patterns
  • Impact of Asian consumption
  • Is there enough shipping capacity to US needs if supply gets tight? 
5:05 - 5:15 pm
 Q&A
5:15 - 5:20 pm
 Closing Remarks
5:30 - 7:00 pm
 Networking Reception

 

Thursday, April 2, 2009
8:00 - 9:00 am
 Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 9:10 am
 Opening Remarks
Session V - Asphalt Price Trends, Contractor's Perspective and Roofing
9:10 - 9:40 am
 Roofing Asphalt: Managing the Challenge
  • Rebounds and contractions – a roofing update from 2008
  • Refining actions may be on a collision path with roofing needs
  • Making hard choices: alternatives to rocketing asphalt costs
  • Short-term economics vs. long-term costs
9:40 - 10:10 am
 Factors Impacting Pricing Behavior
  • Effect of supply/demand variables
  • The effect of refinery economics
  • Changes in pricing methods
10:10 - 10:35 am
 Key Challenges Facing the Hot-Mix Industry in a Volatile Price Environment
  • How has the asphalt price volatility impacted contractors?
  • What contractors can do to cope with volatile prices
  • Asphalt vs concrete: Has asphalt lost market share to concrete?
  • What to expect in the future
10:35 - 10:45 am
 Q&A
10:45 - 11:15 am
 Networking Break
Session VI - Polymer Availabilty and Emulsions
11:15 - 11:45 am
 Polymer-Modified Asphalt Supply and Outlook
  • Why are SBS polymers important
  • Who produces it and what are the different uses
  • Cause of the SBS polymer shortage in 2008
  • Impact on the shortage on the US and Canada asphalt market
  • Production of SBS polymers in other countries
  • What other modifiers are alternatives to SBS polymers
  • Future issues facing the polymer asphalt market
11:45 - 12:15 pm
 Asphalt Emulsions: The Green Aspect
  • Types of emulsions
  • Growing usage
  • Challenges with tightening supply
  • New technologies
  • The emulsion advantage - a green product for the future
12:15 - 12:30 pm
 Q&A
12:30 - 12:40 pm
 Closing Remarks