
Appendix E2
Appendix A
Samuel A. Van Vactor
3004 SW First Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97201
(503) 222-2425
Fax: (503) 242-2968
e-mail svv@econ.com
Professional Experience
President, Consulting Economist, Economic Insight,
Inc. (EII), Portland, Oregon, 1981 to present, and Researcher at
the University of Cambridge, UK.
EII publishes the Energy Market Report on the
electric power market and provides economic consulting services. The firm
averages about ten employees. It collects and organizes economic data,
conducts research, undertakes policy analysis and provides expert witness
services for anti-trust, tax and regulatory hearings. Recent projects have
included analysis of crude oil royalty obligations in the United States for
Texaco, Unocal and Exxon; analysis of natural gas market developments in Asia
for the Asia Pipeline Research Society of Japan; testimony on behalf of the
California Power Exchange before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC);
and analysis for the California Power Exchange on bilateral power trading, the
structure of the Western Power Market, and the development of the exchanges
new products and services.
Research Associate,Portland State University,
October 1979 to December 1981.
Mr. Van Vactor taught two courses in energy economics and
managed several federal grants related to energy and economic issues in the
Pacific Northwest.
Director of Planning,
Oregon Department of Energy,
October 1978 to October 1979.
Mr. Van Vactor managed a group of six engineers and
economists evaluating energy policy options for the State of Oregon.
Senior Economist, International Energy Agency (IEA) of the
OECD, Paris, France, October 1975 to October 1978.
Mr. Van Vactor helped design and implement the agency's
country studies program.
International Economist, U.S. Treasury Department,
August 1973 to October 1975.
Mr. Van Vactor was a policy analyst for the Secretary of the Treasury, and
advised him on issues related to oil pricing and energy demand. Mr. Van Vactor
also assisted in the development of a series of domestic energy policy
documents, and was a member of the negotiating team for long-term energy
cooperation between the U.S. and other industrialized countries.
Education
Ph.D. Candidate, Cambridge University, U.K.
Research, London School of Economics, U.K.
M.A., Economics, University of Washington, U.S.A.
B.S., Economics, University of Oregon, U.S.A.
Significant Publications
I. Contributions were made to the following government publications and
reports,
including primary authorship of some:
Energy Conservation in the International Energy Agency,
1976 Review, OECD, Paris, September 1976.
World Energy Outlook, OECD, Paris, 1977.
Energy Policies and Programs of IEA Countries, 1977 and
1978 Reviews OECD, Paris
Oregon's Energy Future, January 1979.
"Oil Shortages," Oregon Department of Energy, May
1979.
The United States Exerts Limited Influence on the
International Crude Oil Spot Market, Report to the Congress by the
Comptroller General, US General Accounting Office, August 21, 1980.
Gasoline Demand in the Pacific Northwest, The
Pacific Northwest Supply System and Petroleum in the Pacific Northwest:
Disruption or Transition, NW Energy Policy Workshop, 1980.
Alaska's Long-Term Energy Plan, Division of Energy
Power and Development, Alaska Department of Commerce, April 1981.
An Energy Emergency Contingency Plan for Alaska,
Division of Energy Power and Development, Alaskan Department of Commerce,
September 1981.
Fuel Prices in the Northwest, Long-term oil and gas
price Forecast for the Northwest Power Planning Council, September 1982.
II. Author or co-author for the following books, articles and speeches:
Competition in the Oil Industry, (NSF funded project at
George Washington University,) January 1976, with William A. Johnson and
Richard E. Messick.
"Energy Conservation in the OECD, Progress and
Results," The Journal of Energy and Development, Spring 1978 and
International Comparisons of Energy Consumption, Resources for the Future,
1978.
"OPEC in Crisis," a paper delivered at the
November 1982 annual meeting of the International Association of Energy
Economists.
"World Oil Markets," a paper delivered at the
January 1984 annual meeting of the International Association of Energy
Economists, with Arlon R. Tussing.
"Mergers and Acquisitions in the Petroleum
Industry," published in Papers and Proceedings of the Eighth Annual North
American Conference, IAEE, at MIT, November 1986.
"Retrospective on Oil Prices," a paper for
delivery at the Western Economic Association Meeting, July 1986 and published
in Contemporary Policy Issues, July 1987 with Arlon R. Tussing.
"Evolution of Bulk-Power Markets," A paper for
delivery at the International Association of
Energy Economists, Annual Meeting, Calgary Alberta, July
1987.
"U.S./Canada Trade and Energy: Learning from Past
Mistakes," Forces, Winter 1988 with Arlon R. Tussing.
"The International Oil Market in 1988,"
Presentation to The Conference Board of Canada's
Business Outlook 1988 Conference, Calgary Alberta, May
1988.
"Is an Oil Tariff Justified? An American Debate: I.
Reality Says No," The Energy Journal, July 1988 with Arlon R.
Tussing.
"Spot and Contract Markets in the Petroleum
Industry," with Ronald D. Ripple, a paper delivered at the International
Association of Energy Economics, Annual Meeting, Caracas, June 1989.
"Prospective on World Energy Markets: Real Costs Will
Continue to Fall," published in the OPEC Review, Summer 1990 with
Arlon R. Tussing.
PADD V in Transition: Strategic Evaluation of Oil Industry
Prospects in the 1990s, November, 1992 published with Energy Security
Analysis, Inc.
"Time to End the Alaska Oil Export Ban,"
published by the Cato Institute, May 1995.
"Natural Gas Deregulation in South Africa: A Wolf in
Sheep's Clothing," 1995-1996 with William A. Johnson. Presentation May
1996, Budapest Hungary, International Conference of the IAEE.
"Power Trading: The Race is On," April 1996, with
Dona K. Lehr. Speeches in San Diego for Executive Enterprises, Denver for
Infocast, and Washington DC and Los Angeles for the IAEE.
"The Demand for Gas in a Coal-Based Energy
Economy." with Ronald D. Ripple. Paper for the Northeast Asian Natural
Gas Pipeline: Possibilities and Prospects, Beijing, China, September 1996.
"Evolution of Wholesale Power Price Structures in the
Western Power Market," with Dona K. Lehr. in The Evolving U.S. Power
Market, Risk Publications, June 1997.
"Commoditisation" in The Evolving U.S. Power
Market, Risk Publications, June 1997.
"Natural Gas Projects in Asia and the Development of
Asian Gas Trunk Pipelines," for the Financial Times Conference on Asian
Gas, June 5-6 1997, Singapore, with Arlon R. Tussing.
"South Koreas Thirst of Gas," with Arlon
Tussing, Financial Times Energy Economist, March 1998.
"Enhancing Private Investment in the Natural Gas
Industry in Asia," in Natural Gas in Asia: Facts and Fiction, for
PECC Energy Forum, November, 1998.
"Power Exchanges," Presentation and analysis for
the Electric Power Research Institutes Senior Executive Management
Roundtable, November 2, 1998.
"Electricity Restructuring in North America," Financial
Times Energy Economist, December, 1998.
Appendix C
Gravity Price Adjustments for Adjacent Fields
The examples listed below are comparisons of crude oil
fields not of the same gravity, but located adjacent to one another or within
ten miles of one another so that transportation should not be an issue in
price differences. Gravity price differentials were applied to see if a
gravity price adjustment is able to account for all differences in price. For
crude oil prices, gravities, and gravity adjustments, the Tosco/Union posting
bulletin for September 3, 1998 was used.
Example 1
Midway Sunset 13ç $ 8.75
Buena Vista 26ç $11.00
Adjusted to 26ç / $0.15 for every degree
Midway Sunset 26ç $10.70
Buena Vista 26ç $11.00
Unaccounted for Difference = $0.30
Example 2
Wilmington 17ç $ 9.25
LB (Signal Hill) 29ç $11.65
Adjusted to 29ç / $0.15 for every degree
Wilmington 29ç $11.05
LB (Signal Hill) 29ç $11.65
Unaccounted for Difference = $0.60
Example 3
Newhall Potrero 32ç $12.00
Del Valle 33ç $11.45
Adjusted to 33ç / $0.15 for every degree
Newhall Potrero 33ç $12.15
Del Valle 33ç $11.45
Unaccounted for Difference = $0.70
Example 4
Yorba Linda 15ç $ 8.75
Brea Olinda 20ç $10.60
Adjusted to 20ç / $0.15 for every degree
Yorba Linda 20ç $ 9.50
Brea Olinda 20ç $10.60
Unaccounted for Difference = $1.10
Example 5
Cat Canyon 11ç $ 5.60
Orcutt 25ç $ 8.55
Adjusted to 25ç / $0.15 for every degree
Cat Canyon 25ç $ 7.70
Orcutt 25ç $ 8.55
Unaccounted for Difference = $0.85
Appendix D
Sources of Crude Oil Spot Prices
Reuters Methodology
Reuters prices are collected by a reporter on a daily
basis. The Reuters reporter contacts market participants inquiring about
current prices and ranges. The data is collected and is published as a daily
high and low. The closing price for the crude oils is the mean of the daily
high and low.
Reuters provides West Coast crude oil spot price
information for the following crude oils:
Line 63, with gravity 28.0 degrees API, and sulfur 1
pct.
ANS delivered to the West Coast, with gravity 29.0
degrees API and sulfur 1.1 pct.
Wilmington, with gravity 17.0 degrees API and sulfur
1.5 pct.
Kern River, with gravity 13.0 degrees API and sulfur
1.2 pct.
Reuters also reports on spot price differentials and spot
price in terms of premium to posting:
Line 63 vs. Differential
ANS vs. Last Repeated Bid
Wilmington Premium to Posting
Kern River Premium to posting
Platts Methodology
There are general principles that underlie Platts
approach to market reporting. For example, Platts generally looks for
fixed-price spot transactions, confirmed bids and offers, market talk and
relationships, if any, with other markets. Platts reporters also generally
look at the characteristics of individual markets and the foregoing
methodology may be adapted especially in cases where fixed-price liquidity is
lacking.
Platts prices are published in three daily publications:
Platts Oilgram News, Platts Oilgram Price Report and Platts
Crude Oil Marketwire. A high and low range of prices is published daily in
the Platts Crude Oil Marketwire. Prices are reported in a five-day
rolling average format in the Platts Oilgram Price Report (a weekly
publication). Also Platts puts out a monthly crude oil supplement, Platts
Crude Oil Supplement, which reports a simple average for the month of the
daily low, high and mean prices.
Platts provides West Coast crude oil spot price
information on the following crude oils:
Alaska North Slope (ANS): California barrels are for
delivery to Long Beach, California. API Gravity is 29-29.5 and sulfur content
is 1.1 pct.
Line 63: The assessment is for a blend of crude at
28-30 degrees API gravity and sulfur content of 1.02 pct. Delivered at Hynes
station on Four Corners pipeline line 63.
P-Plus Line 63: The assessment reflects the price of
Line 63 sold into Hynes Station on Four Corners pipeline on the basis of
"Posting Plus." P-Plus deals are invoiced at a later date on the
basis of a differential to an average of one or more crude postings for Buena
Vista.
Thums: The assessment is for barrels of Wilmington
delivered to Long Beach, California at 17 degrees API and sulfur content of
1.5 pct.
Kern River: The assessment is for barrels delivered
commonly to Texacos station 31 in Kern County, California, at 13.4 degrees
API gravity with sulfur content of 1.1 pct. Synonymous with San Joaquin Valley
(SJV) heavy.
Telerate Methodology
Spot prices are assessments subjective by their nature
published under the Telerate Energy banner by Bridge News and by Dow Jones
Newswires jointly with Telerate Energy. Assessments are the results of
reporters wide survey of market participants and likely include, depending
on market conditions, elements of transactions, bids, offers,
"indications," "talking levels," or differentials vs.
other active grades. Assessments typically conform to standard calendar
periods, quantities and qualities.
Telerate reports on the following spot crude oil prices:
Kern River, This is San Joaquin Valley Heavy crude oil
and is typically the spot price for Kern River or Midway Sunset. The gravity
is 13 degrees API and the sulfur is 1.0 pct.
Thums, This is typically a spot assessment of
Wilmington crude oil at a gravity of 17 degrees API and a sulfur of 1.5 pct.
Line 63 CIF LA, This is a spot assessment of Line 63
crude oil at 28 degrees API and sulfur of 1.0 pct.
ANS CIF LA, This is a spot assessment of ANS crude at a
gravity of 29 degrees API and sulfur of 1.1 pct.
Also attached is a table comparing ANS spot prices from
Reuters with spot prices from Platts. The average difference between these
two price series is $0.01.
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