Natural Gas Supply Trading Specialist – West Coast

Position Summary 

The Natural Gas Supply Trader – West Coast actively trades and optimizes MPC’s California and Pacific Northwest pipeline and citygate portfolio – including transport capacity on El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG), SoCal Gas (BTS), and Redwood Pipeline (PG&E) – to capture basis, seasonal spread, and transport value across current and any future West Coast storage positions, while ensuring reliable, cost-effective physical gas delivery to MPC’s refinery and terminal assets, anchored at Los Angeles (LAR) and Martinez. This is a trading role that requires demonstrated skill and market experience in West Coast natural gas – the Supply Trader is expected to take an active view on West Coast transport and citygate optionality, executing within MPC’s integrated optimization strategy in close coordination with the scheduling team. 

The Natural Gas Supply Trader primary objectives: 

• Collaborates across the value chain including ST&O, VCO, Refining, MPLX to continuously review market conditions and the short-term supply and sales plans; recommends and implements changes to the plan to optimize overall value to MPC (exchange and term sales or purchases, product yield shifts, freight optimization, sales channel shifts, import/export changes, etc.)

• Evaluates and executes business development opportunities beyond the core business (storage, blending, freight deals) in collaboration with ST&O, VCO and other value chain partners

• Ensure physical flow assurance and reliable, cost-effective natural gas supply for MPC refinery and terminal demand across the California and Pacific Northwest footprint 

• Trade and optimize MPC’s West Coast transport, citygate, and any future storage positions to capture basis, seasonal spread, and transport optionality value 

• Oversee supply nominations, citygate balancing activity, and pipeline scheduling activities to support daily and forward asset requirements 

• Monitor West Coast pipeline, citygate, and market conditions to anticipate and mitigate supply disruptions and to identify incremental optimization opportunities for MPC assets

Key Responsibilities 

Primary Objective 

Maximize the value of MPC’s West Coast natural gas transport, citygate, and any future storage portfolio while ensuring reliable, cost-effective natural gas supply to MPC’s California and Pacific Northwest refinery and terminal assets, in alignment with the optimization strategy set by the NG trading team. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Actively trade and optimize MPC’s West Coast pipeline, citygate, and any future storage portfolio – including transport capacity on EPNG, SoCal Gas (BTS), and Redwood Pipeline (PG&E) – taking a market view to capture basis, seasonal spread, and transport value in line with the NG optimization strategy. 

• Execute physical supply transactions aligned with the integrated optimization plan developed by the trading desk and the Commercial Strategy & Optimization team. 

• Source and transact physical natural gas to cover refinery and terminal supply requirements at LAR (Los Angeles) and Martinez, ensuring continuous flow assurance and avoiding supply disruptions to MPC operations. 

• Coordinate daily and forward-looking supply activity with the scheduling team, ensuring physical gas nominations, pipeline scheduling, citygate balancing activity, and Operational Flow Order (OFO) management are aligned with asset demand and operational requirements across the California and Pacific Northwest corridor. 

• Monitor real-time pipeline conditions, flow disruptions, and regional basis dynamics across SoCal Citygate, PG&E Citygate, and the PNW/Rockies-to-California spread; proactively identify and resolve potential supply disruptions before they affect refinery operations. 

• Maintain counterparty relationships with pipeline operators, marketers, and utility account representatives (SoCal Gas, PG&E) relevant to MPC’s West Coast physical supply portfolio; ensure sufficient supply optionality to protect against demand variability and market disruptions. 

• Ensure all transactions comply with internal risk policies, LOA frameworks, and governance requirements; document and report physical positions accurately through established risk management processes. 

• Align with refining, cogeneration, and scheduling teams to maintain operational awareness of asset demand levels, planned outages, and consumption changes that affect supply requirements across the California and Pacific Northwest footprint. 

Education and Experience 

Required Experience: 

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

• Two (2) or more years of experience in trading or marketing including profit/loss responsibility for product trading, contract negotiation and scheduling (rail, truck, vessel and pipe).

Preferred Experience: 

• Demonstrated skill in physical gas supply optimization and asset-backed trading strategy, including citygate utilization, transport rights management, and rolling intrinsic approaches across California and Pacific Northwest pipeline assets 

• Experience working alongside a trading desk in an execution or supply role, with understanding of how physical supply positions interact with financial hedges, basis trades, and commercial optimization strategy 

• Familiarity with West Coast gas supply dynamics, including Rockies/Permian/Canadian basin flows into California, PNW takeaway constraints, and the interplay between citygate basis and California demand pull 

• Strong coordination and communication skills for daily interaction with schedulers, traders, Middle Office, and asset operations teams 

This position grade may vary depending on candidate experience. The successful candidate will be placed at a level commensurate with experience and qualifications.