BP Donates Jet Fuel to Speed Delivery of PPE & Other Essential Goods
HOUSTON — Almost all companies are doing their part to help fight the spread of COVID-19 across the United States. BP is no exception.
The oil company donated 3 million gallons of jet fuel to FedEx Express charter flights and Alaska Airlines to support the timely delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential goods to areas of the U.S. at greatest risk for COVID-19.
BP will offset the carbon emissions of all donated fuel deliveries through its Target Neutral program.
"Frontline medical providers depend on PPE to treat patients suffering from COVID-19 and to save lives. BP is working to help deliver this equipment quickly by donating jet fuel to air carriers who will get supplies where they need to go," said Susan Dio, chairman and president of BP America.
"COVID-19 is a human crisis. People are suffering, and BP wants to help. We're pulling together our global resources to ensure first responders, health care workers and patients know that they're not alone," she added.
The donation builds on BP's commitment to supporting frontline workers by offering a 50-cents-per-gallon discount on fuel for first responders, doctors, nurses and hospital workers verified through ID.me, a digital identity verification system. To date, the program has distributed approximately 800,000 unique discount codes.
Supply Deliveries
FedEx Express will use the donation, supplied by Air BP, for international air transportation to and from the U.S. to deliver critical medical supplies, including gloves, gowns, ventilators and masks, that support the effort to fight COVID-19.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will direct the suppliers to communities in greatest need based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
BP's Whiting refinery in Whiting, Ind., and BP's Cherry Point refinery in Blaine, Wash., is supplying the fuel, which is being delivered to Chicago O'Hare and Seattle-Tacoma International airports, respectively.
The fuel will supply more than 45 FedEx Express charter flights for HHS.
Alaska Airlines is working to restore air service to several remote Alaska communities recently cut off after a local carrier declared bankruptcy. Working through BP Alaska and Air BP, the donated fuel will help Alaska Airlines to activate its response in support of the supply chain, delivering food, medical supplies, mail and emergency passenger services.
With BP's contribution, Alaska Airlines will donate 1 million miles to the American Cancer Society of Alaska's Flight Partner program, which ensures that cancer patients in Alaska have access to transportation when they are required to receive treatment far from home.
BP's Cherry Point Refinery is supplying the fuel, which is being delivered to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
BP is a global energy producer with operations in nearly 80 countries. It has a larger economic footprint in the U.S. than in any other nation, and it has invested more than $125 billion in the U.S. since 2005. BP employs about 13,000 people across the U.S. and supports more than 200,000 additional jobs through all its business activities.