Winter Storm Fern: Impacts and Market Update

Winter Storm Fern brought severe winter weather across much of the United States last weekend, and although the storm system has moved on, lingering ice, hazardous road conditions, and ongoing power outages continue to impact many regions.

Even where carriers are operating, delays may occur due to the icy roads and heavy demand. Site accessibility remains another key factor in completing deliveries safely and efficiently. Customers must ensure that lots, driveways, and tank access points are fully clear and safe; lack of accessibility can result in cancelled deliveries and additional fees.

Mansfield deliveries remain on Code Red in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, requiring 72-hour notice for new requests. In many of these markets, fuel carriers are still unable to resume 100% operations due to ice and road hazards, causing significant delays. Mansfield remains on Code Orange in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, requesting a 48-hour notice.

Winter Storm Gianna

Recovery efforts now face an additional challenge as another winter system approaches. A new storm, Winter Storm Gianna, is expected to impact the East Coast this weekend, bringing cold temperatures, snow, and strong winds from the Carolinas and Virginia through parts of New England. This could create renewed delivery challenges in regions already affected by Fern.

Mansfield continues to monitor conditions closely and is coordinating with carrier and supplier networks to support safe and reliable deliveries as conditions allow. Customers experiencing access issues, power outages, or urgent fuel needs are encouraged to contact their support team for assistance. Further updates will be shared as weather conditions continue to evolve.

Click here to learn more about how to recover after the storm

Winter Additives

Mansfield strongly recommends keeping cold-flow additives (such as Arsenal ColdPRO) and an emergency reliquifier (such as Red Alert) on site for emergencies.

Mansfield customers can order winter additives by emailing additives@mansfieldoil.com. Delivery timelines will depend on current road conditions and the region. Additionally, due to a sudden surge in demand for winter additives, some products may be temporarily unavailable at the time an order is placed.

In the short term, these products can often be purchased at local automotive or truck supply stores. Note that cold-flow additives can be added as a preventive measure, while reliquifiers like Red Alert should only be used in response to gelled fuel.

Energy Sector Impact

Beyond delivery challenges, the winter storm Fern caused substantial disruption across the U.S. energy sector. Crude oil production losses peaked over the weekend, with temporary outages reaching up to 2 million barrels per day, roughly 15% of national production. The Permian Basin was among the hardest-hit regions, as frozen equipment and mechanical failures sharply reduced output. Refining operations were also affected by the extreme cold. Several refineries along the Gulf Coast and in the Midwest were forced to shut down or suspend operations due to mechanical issues and power outages.

Fuel markets have responded to these disruptions. Crude oil prices moved higher this week, reaching their highest levels in several months as storm-related production and refining outages tightened supply. Brent crude futures had ticked up 92 cents, or around 1.4%, to $68.49 per barrel, and U.S. WTI was up $1.04, or around 1.7%, at $63.43. Although production and refinery activity are gradually recovering, the effects of these outages may continue to influence fuel prices in the near term.