The U.S Oil and Gas Refining and Marketing Industry

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The U.S Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing Industry According to the GAO report, the U.S. petroleum refining industry experienced a period of high product prices and industry profits from the early 2000s through to 2007. ( United States Government Accountability Office , 2014). Since the recession of 2007 to 2009,the industry has been in transition ( United States Government Accountability Office , 2014). The three major changes that have recently affected the domestic petroleum refining industry include: Increased production: According to GAO, the U.S. and Canadian crude oil production have increased, resulting in lower costs of crude oil for some refiners.( United States Government Accountability Office , 2014). It observed that after significant decline in decades, monthly U.S. crude oil production increased over 55 percent compared with average production in 2008 ( United States Government Accountability Office , 2014). Declining consumption: The domestic consumption of petroleum products declined by 11 percent from 2005 through to 2012, resulting in a smaller domestic market for refiners ( United States Government Accountability Office , 2014). Key regulations: According to the GAO, the two major regulations namely, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and Department of Transportation’s (DOT) coordinated fuel economy and the greenhouse gas (GHG) vehicle emission standards, as well as EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) have contributed to declining petroleum-based fuel consumption. For some refiners, adherence to the RFS increased costs in the first half of 2013, although costs have significantly declined to some degree from their peak ( United States Government Accountability Office , 2014). The U.S Refining Industry Out... ... middle of paper ... ...9f6%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=124 Tesoro Corporation. (2013, December 31). TESORO CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=79122&p=quarterlyEarnings U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2012, August 14). Gasoline Explained: Regional Gasoline Price Differences. Retrieved May 9, 2014, from Why Are Gasoline Prices Higher in Some Regions Than in Others?: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=gasoline_regional Valero Energy Corporation. (2013). Driving Value: 2013 SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT. Retrieved May 9, 2014, from http://media.valero.com/flash/annualReport/pdf/report.pdf Western Refining Inc. (2013). Transformation: 2013 Annual Report. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/19/194293/2013AR/index.html

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