David Hackett

Chairman of the Board

David Hackett has been a participant in all the recent developments in the transportation fuels industry. Leveraging a Supply and Trading background at Mobil, Dave started Stillwater Associates in 1998. Since then, Stillwater’s work on issues like the MTBE phase out, gasoline price controls, corn ethanol distribution, biodiesel production, next generation renewable fuels implementation, price gouging, fuels infrastructure constraints, mergers and acquisitions, interstate commerce, petroleum logistics, and refining technology have helped to make the firm a leading force in the transportation fuels space.

With more than 30 years of experience in the downstream oil business, Dave has built a team of industry professionals who are skilled at creating value for our clients.

A frequent speaker, Dave has made presentations for American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), the California Energy Commission, the Pacific Oil Conference, the California Independent Oil Marketers Association, the Society of Gasoline Marketers of America, and the Ohio Oil & Convenience Store Marketers Association.

Valued for his downstream transportation fuel business expertise, Dave is often asked to share his knowledge with policy groups. Dave is an Executive Fellow at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy. He is also a member of the California Energy Commission’s Petroleum Market Advisory Committee (PMAC).

Policy makers and legal firms regularly seek out Dave’s expertise on supply and logistics issues. He has testified before the U.S. Congress regarding gasoline pricing.  Dave has also advised on and provided expert testimony for litigation in this space.

Dave is often asked to comment on current energy issues to the press. He has been interviewed by American Public Media, NBC, CBS, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, the San Diego Union Tribune, the Sacramento Bee, and the Honolulu Advertiser, among others.

Dave received his BS in Oceanography from the US Naval Academy in 1971. He earned a Masters in Education from California Lutheran University in 1975 and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine in 1997.

Contributions

Policy

Stranded: West Coast Fuel Supply & Strategic Vulnerability

February 12, 2026

West Coast fuel supply is becoming more fragile just as Indo-Pacific geopolitical risks are rising, turning what might look like a regional market issue into a strategic vulnerability for commercial, governmental, and military fuel users alike. Stillwater Associates was recently asked to brief the Navy’s Energy Forum about this structural fragility and why sophisticated planning...

Policy

Hawaii’s Gas Cap, Twenty Years After Katrina: A Policy Experiment Revisited

September 3, 2025

When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in late August 2005, the storm not only devastated infrastructure in Louisiana and Mississippi but also sent shockwaves through the nation’s fuel markets. Spot gasoline prices in New York Harbor, the Gulf Coast, and Los Angeles spiked dramatically as Gulf Coast refineries shut down and distribution networks from...