Welcome to OPIS White Papers. As a service to our customers, we provide this web site as a free education and research tool. It will aid your quest for solutions to current or approaching business problems or needs. To search the site, simply scan the White Papers listed below or enter a key word or phrase in the search window above.
Petroleum Price, Profit OutlookMuch has happened to impact the downstream fuels business during the first half of 2009. Geopolitical and global economic turmoil remain potential sources of pressure on the price of oil. While the worst of the economic recession may indeed be over, recovery appears elusive amid high unemployment that could persist well into 2010, along with continued housing woes. Consumers and businesses, either financially distressed or fearing it, don't appear likely to increase their spending in a meaningful way for many months. Fuel demand -- already weakened by an ailing economy -- also faces an array of Washington policy initiatives that could result in further usage cuts. Various proposals seek to jump-start alternative energy and fuel efficiency measures, and begin exacting a toll on greenhouse gas emissions as a means to curb climate change. Oil trade throughout the supply chain is poised to enter a new era of regulation and scrutiny. 22 pages. Read more...
The Changing RINs LandscapeThe mandated and growing inclusion of biofuels in U.S. motor fuel and trade in the credits (RINs) generated by their use is evolving from compliance burden to profit center for fuel suppliers of all kinds. Regulations and compliance methods are changing; shifts in energy policy could result in even more modifications down the road; ethanol-gasoline price relationships have shown high volatility and supply estimates of both RINs and biofuels themselves have varied greatly. This white paper provides a guide to the new developments, complete with OPIS graphs and pricing data as well as regulatory, financial services and trading expertise, to help fuel professionals navigate the changing landscape. 24 pages. Read more...
Successful Urea_Diesel Exhaust Fluid Handling, Storage & DispensingFleets, diesel vehicle owners and truckstops are soon going to be introduced to a product that aims to help clean the air of harmful pollutants and may hold the promise of increasing fuel mileage. Beginning in 2010, most new diesel-burning vehicles will be outfitted with a pre-exhaust treatment system that requires regular replenishment by a specially prepared liquid called diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). As this informational paper will describe, DEF is derived from urea and requires special dispensing equipment, employee training and certification processes to maintain purity. A full discussion of these handling requirements will be accompanied by details on how DEF will make its way to market and projections of its future demand. 13 pages. Read more...
Tiger Territory: Retail Reimaging in the Petroleum SectorFor decades, petroleum marketers have focused on site rationalization, convenience store products and facility image as the key factors growing throughput per site and revenues per customer. The most successful retailers have proven that a unique facility image is the first step towards gaining brand recognition, customer loyalty and retail sales traffic right at the street level. Now, recent advances in materials technology allow retailers to reach a 3rd dimension of facility branding and design, converting common place rectilinear designs with colorful, eye-catching, 3 dimensional curvilinear canopies and facility architecture. As a result, gas station owners small and large have an unprecedented ability to differentiate their facility image in ways that clearly distinguish their brand of gas from all others in the market, resulting in higher brand recognition rates, higher brand loyalty and higher traffic flow with petroleum and convenience customers. 12 pages Read more...