It's the fall edition of the Stillwater Newsletter and we have tons to share! First we fill you in on what we did during our summer vacation. Next we give you an overview of the Transportation Fuels Logistics course Mike Soares delivered to the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources. That course went so well we are now offering an expanded version as a web-based seminar in 2014 - Transportation Fuels Logistics 101! In more education news, Dave Hackett has been awarded an executive fellowship at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy. Finally, Dave has an OpEd in the Sacramento Bee on the lack of evidence of price manipulation during the California 2012 gasoline price spike.
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What We Did On Our Summer Vacation
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 | Dave Hackett, Tigger, and Grandkids
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Well, the kids are back at school and we're all back working away. The kids will be asked, "What did you do this summer?" Our kids will be writing about Disneyland, stand-up paddle boarding (coming nose to whiskers with sea lions), and surfing in Southern California.
We had a very full summer schedule at Stillwater and everyone was happy to get a long weekend in before the next round of projects. Mike Soares instructed the State of Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources on transportation energy assurance planning. Dave Bulfin guided a renewable fuels company to understand the fuel supply chain and how environmental regulations, like the Renewable Fuel Standard, are impacting the market. Leigh Noda was busy with supply and demand forecasts, as well as paying close attention to the development of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and Cap & Trade. Leigh and Kim Barrett developed crude oil and product price forecasts for an electric utility and for a start-up technology company. Dave Freyman spent time looking at crude-by-rail projects and their economics. Dave Hackett has been providing litigation support to a client, while closely monitoring LCFS and RFS developments. The team continues to work with the RAND Corporation on its contract to audit the California Energy Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Program under AB118. Read more...
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Transportation Fuels Logistics Course for Energy Assurance Planning
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 | What We're Trying to Avoid
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Our efforts to help states prepare for emergencies continued through the summer. In August, Mike Soares taught a day-long course on Transportation Fuels Logistics for the State of Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources. The OER has retained Stillwater to help with the transportation fuels section of their State Energy Assurance Plan. An education in how transportation fuels get to the local service station is key to developing a comprehensive energy assurance plan. The course included:
- An overview of transportation fuels
- Rhode Island transportation fuels supply and demand
- Rhode Island transportation fuels distribution system
- Vulnerabilities in the supply chain
- Consequence management
- Energy policy issues
An interesting fact that became more apparent as we developed the course was how interdependent Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut are when it comes to transportation fuels logistics. Fuel brought in to the Port of Providence is trucked to neighboring states. If an interruption occurs in the Port of Providence it will affect Rhode Island's neighbors as well.
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Another View: No Credible Evidence Found of Gas Price Manipulation
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by David Hackett, Special for the Sacramento Bee Motorists are understandably frustrated by the volatility of prices at the pump. It's not surprising that they sometimes wonder if there's any truth to speculation about oil company conspiracies to manipulate gasoline prices. But experts who closely follow fuel markets and understand supply contracts, future markets and options know that fluctuating gasoline prices merely reflect the dynamics of supply and demand. It's disappointing when individuals such as Robert McCullough, a self-described expert in energy markets but with little understanding of gasoline markets, offer theories suggesting sinister motives and illegal conduct when the evidence clearly points to neither ("Bill focuses on manipulation of gas prices"; Viewpoints, Aug. 31). Read more...Note: A version of this OpEd also appeared in Capitol Weekly on August 29, 2013. |
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Stillwater Associates is a transportation energy consulting company. We help our clients understand how fuels get from the source to the service station. If your company is in need of expert advice, please let us know.
Sincerely,
David J. Hackett, President
Stillwater Associates LLC |
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We use Facebook to share interesting transportation energy articles, studies, and events. If you are a regular Facebook user, check out Stillwater's page.
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Dave Hackett Awarded Executive Fellowship
| Dave Hackett has been awarded an executive fellowship by the University of Calgary School of Public Policy. Dave will be working in the area of Energy and Environmental Policy, directed by Professor Michal Moore. This is an excellent opportunity to study energy and environmental issues that affect North America and to make policy recommendations that benefit Canada and the United States.
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Coming Soon! Transportation Fuels Logistics 101
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Do you know how crude oil is delivered to the refinery? How about what it takes to refine a gallon of gasoline? Or how gasoline gets from the refinery into your tank? Coming in 2014, Stillwater is offering Transportation Fuels Logistics 101. This web-based seminar is designed to educate folks outside the industry on how the Transportation Fuels supply chain functions. An excellent opportunity for policy makers, attorneys, and renewable fuels start-ups to understand the basics! |
Please contact Megan Boutwell to learn more about Transportation Fuels Logistics 101. |
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