Coronavirus cancels chemical events

Abstract

The threat of the new coronavirus is disrupting the spring meeting season across the chemical enterprise. IHS Markit has canceled its World Petrochemical Conference, scheduled for March 24–27 in New Orleans, and its CERAWeek oil and gas conference, set for March 9–13 in Houston. The drug services trade show CPhI Japan has been postponed, and the American Physical Society called off its March meeting. IHS says it decided on the cancellations after consulting with health officials and taking into account the company travel restrictions and border health checks that attendees would have to contend with. “We wanted to provide as much notice as possible,” IHS says in a statement about the petrochemical conference. That conference drew 1,500 attendees in San Antonio last year, and organizers were expecting 1,800 for the New Orleans gathering. CERAWeek drew 5,500 last year. IHS also canceled a transportation event in Long Beach, California, last week.