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COVID-19: The Impact on Oxygen Supply Security
Key Takeaways: Oxygen Supply & COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused critical shortages in life-saving medical oxygen, disrupting supply chains and diverting oxygen away from non-medical industries. A sharp increase in demand has strained the global oxygen marketplace.
In Peru, where infections are rising rapidly, industrial clients are stepping up. Many have lent their DOCS (Deployable Oxygen Concentration Systems) to local hospitals to help meet the urgent need.
Rising oxygen prices and increasing risk of long-term supply disruptions will likely influence future strategic decisions. Ensuring uninterrupted access to oxygen across all sectors has become essential.
PCI Gases anticipates strong growth in demand for DOCS across multiple industries. This presents a strategic opportunity for scalable, reliable, and independent oxygen supply solutions.
Global Pandemic Impact
COVID-19 is the most severe global health crisis in over a century. Shutdowns and social distancing measures have triggered economic disruptions not seen since World War II.
By mid-June 2020, the official global case count exceeded 8 million, with over 430,000 deaths. Experts warn these numbers are likely underreported, especially in countries like Russia and regions such as Africa.
The WHO has highlighted rapid virus spread in Africa, where shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE), diagnostics, ventilators, and oxygen could result in devastating outcomes.
Although infections continue to rise, many countries are reopening public spaces. This has raised concerns about a possible surge in new cases.
Meanwhile, global economic recovery is uncertain. Analysts predict downturns may last into 2022.
Medical Oxygen Shortages
As COVID-19 spreads into low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), experts warn that oxygen shortages could worsen. While PPE and ventilator production is ramping up, oxygen remains a major concern.
Hospitals need oxygen to treat patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms. However, increased demand has strained supply chains and disrupted delivery. This has led to growing interest in on-site systems like PCI Gases’ DOCS.
In the U.S., healthcare workers have reported oxygen shortages in major hospitals. At Elmhurst Hospital in New York, doctors warned they were nearly out of oxygen. The University of Rochester Medical Center also reported record consumption rates.
The UK’s largest medical gas supplier, BOC, has urged non-essential customers to return unused oxygen tanks to support the National Health Service.
In Peru, the pandemic has overwhelmed hospitals. With cases surpassing those in France and Germany, demand for oxygen has skyrocketed. PCI Gases has responded by fulfilling urgent orders and supporting hospital efforts through partnerships with industrial clients.
Non-medical sectors are also affected. While price hikes are an issue, the diversion of oxygen to healthcare poses longer-term risks to other industries. Strategic planning is now critical for maintaining consistent oxygen supply in all applications.
Oxygen beyond the Pandemic
Public focus has centered on PPE and ventilators, yet oxygen is just as critical. Increasing ventilator availability without addressing oxygen supply risks preventable deaths.
WHO recommends that countries prioritize medical oxygen infrastructure. In LMICs, hospitals depend on truck-delivered oxygen cylinders, which are vulnerable to logistical and political challenges. COVID-19 has pushed these fragile systems to the breaking point.
Even high-income countries face shortages. This pandemic offers a chance to treat oxygen as a vital element of health equity. With funding and technology now available, universal access to oxygen is within reach.
Collaboration among governments, companies, and NGOs will be essential. The medical sector will benefit most immediately, but the impact will ripple across industries. Non-health sectors must also revisit their oxygen strategies.
Going forward, investment in robust, on-site oxygen solutions will be essential. It’s time to place oxygen at the center of long-term health and industrial planning.
Securing future supply
The pandemic has made clear that oxygen supply isn’t just a medical issue. Other industries—such as aquaculture, water treatment, and manufacturing—depend on reliable access as well.
Future policies will prioritize medical oxygen, potentially limiting availability for other users. To address this risk, more organizations are exploring on-site oxygen generation.
PCI Gases expects sustained growth in system demand across all sectors. While the human cost of COVID-19 is immense, it also underscores the need for technologies like DOCS that ensure self-sufficient oxygen supply—regardless of market instability.
VSA Technology
To produce oxygen from air, PCI uses a proprietary Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) process that eliminates many of the design problems associated with traditional on-site gas separation systems (PSA). Our innovative VSA system eliminates the need for process valves, feed air compressors, associated dryers and feed air filtering systems. Our robust VSA oxygen process extracts maximum sieve and power efficiencies = low cost (both CapX and OpX) high purity oxygen generation. Oxygen produced is 93% purity. Additional product/systems features include load following, remote monitoring and diagnostics along with an industry only 10-year warranty on the adsorber bed vessel. Average life span of our systems is 10-15+ years.
About PCI Gases
PCI Gases, headquartered in Riverside, California, is a global leader in advanced on-site gas generation systems. Specializing in Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) technology for oxygen production, the company has been delivering innovative gas separation solutions since 1984. PCI Gases serves a wide range of industries, including medical, industrial, aquaculture, biogas, water treatment, and military applications.With a mission to empower industries by providing autonomy in oxygen and nitrogen supply, PCI Gases helps clients reduce costs and improve sustainability. Their vision is to decentralize gas supply, offering economical and environmentally responsible solutions worldwide. Through a commitment to innovation and operational efficiency, PCI Gases continues to reshape industries and enhance the total cost of ownership for their customers.
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Posted January 18, 2020
