Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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AFPM stands for American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, the U.S. trade association for fuel and petrochemical makers. It was known as the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) until a name change took effect on January 25, 2012. It advocates on public policy and gives members business, technical and safety information; it is not a regulator.
Definition and scope
On its About page (read 2026-11-08), AFPM describes itself as the leading trade association representing the makers of the fuels that keep us moving. Its members are fuel makers, petrochemical makers and the midstream companies that move feedstocks and products. Its stated aims are to advocate public policy, to educate policymakers and the public, and to provide strategic business and technical information to members. Its headquarters are in Washington, DC.
AFPM’s mission page says its industries help make life better, safer and more productive for people in the United States and around the world. It is governed by a board and Washington staff and says it is advised by experts from its roughly 450 member companies.
What AFPM does
AFPM’s mission page lists eight advocacy issue areas:
- Fuels & Vehicles
- Environment
- Petrochemicals
- Safety & Health
- Security
- Tax & Trade
- Transportation & Infrastructure
- Regulatory Reform
Former name and acronym
The acronym AFPM replaced NPRA in 2012. According to a Hydrocarbon Processing report dated January 25, 2012, the association’s president at the time, Charles T. Drevna, said the new name would better describe who the association is and what it does, and the change stressed the industry’s identity as American, high-technology manufacturing. Older papers, regulatory comments and citations may therefore appear under NPRA for the same organisation. The abbreviation also has unrelated uses, so searches are clearer when the full name is included.
Technical and safety programs
Both AFPM pages describe resources aimed at member technical staff. This table lists only items named on those pages.
| Resource | What AFPM’s pages say |
|---|---|
| Operational Excellence Programs | Include Alkylation Safety, FCC Process Safety Regional Workshops, Human & Organizational Performance, Walk the Line and Walk the Job |
| Q&A Database | Listed under Operational Excellence Programs |
| Safety statistics and awards | Safety statistics reports and safety awards are listed under its operational programs |
| Data & Reports | Data and statistics, publications, technical papers, annual report and sustainability report |
| Events | An events calendar, meeting FAQ and speaker guidelines |
Where it matters for labs and research staff
AFPM’s pages do not describe laboratory programs. The connection for research and lab staff is indirect: AFPM represents the refining and petrochemical sector whose work overlaps with chemical engineering, so its technical papers database and safety statistics are something a researcher in that sector may encounter. For related background see what chemical engineering is, the NAICS code for chemical manufacturing, and life cycle inventory, which is used to account for inputs and outputs of product systems such as fuels and chemicals.
Common misunderstandings
- AFPM is not a government agency. It is a trade association that advocates for its members’ industries.
- AFPM is not described on its own pages as a standards or accreditation body. Its programs are advocacy, education and member information.
- NPRA and AFPM are the same organisation. The name changed in 2012.
FAQ
What does AFPM stand for?
American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.
What was AFPM called before?
The National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA); the rename took effect on January 25, 2012.
Who are AFPM’s members?
Fuel makers, petrochemical makers and midstream companies that move feedstocks and products, about 450 member companies according to AFPM’s mission page.
Does AFPM publish technical material?
Yes. Its Data & Reports section lists data and statistics, publications, technical papers and annual reports, and safety statistics reports are listed under its operational programs.
Sources
- AFPM, About AFPM, https://www.afpm.org/about-afpm (read 2026-11-08)
- AFPM, Mission, https://www.afpm.org/mission (read 2026-11-08)
- Hydrocarbon Processing, NPRA finalizes name change, becomes American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, January 25, 2012, https://hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2012/01/npra-finalizes-name-change-becomes-american-fuel-petrochemical-manufacturers/ (read 2026-11-08)
