OPIS Blog

March 21, 2024
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

Why Do Gasoline Prices Climb in the Spring? A Look at RVP

As the weather warms up with summer on the horizon, US gasoline prices will likely follow the season’s temperatures and...

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August 3, 2023
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

7 Things You Don’t Know About Your Wholesale Fuel Rack Report

If you are reading this, chances are good that you have recently started subscribing to one of our rack services...

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June 14, 2023
Carbon, Rack Market

Cap and Trade Costs at the Rack: The Basics for Fuel Buyers

“Cap and trade” is a regulation designed to reduce greenhouse gases by setting a firm limit – or cap – on...

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May 24, 2023
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

My OPIS Is Wrong: The Case of the Missing Rack Price Hours

OPIS customer service super sleuth Regina Flake barely had time to put down her coffee when the call came in...

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March 16, 2023
Rack Market

Pricing 101: Wholesale Rack Fuel Pricing Essentials

Once fuel leaves the refinery gate, the next step in the price chain is the wholesale rack.

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March 14, 2023
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

Refinery Mixology: What’s in Your Gasoline?

Fun fact of the day: refiners, generally speaking, don’t make gasoline.

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March 2, 2023
Futures, Oil Market Basics, Rack Market, Spot Market

Fuel Buying 101: Futures and Spot Markets

Buying fuel is confusing even for seasoned pros. We’re here to help. The petroleum market features a slew of specialized...

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March 1, 2023
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

8 Essential Tips for Writing Better Fuel Bids

Fuel is a must-have for end users like municipalities and school districts. However, procurement is not straightforward.

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February 9, 2023
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Renewables

Get the Cold, Hard Facts on Fuel Temperature Correction

It’s that time again! The mercury in the thermometer dropping…  And fuel suppliers can get hot under the collar when...

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November 11, 2019
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

How to Buy Wholesale Gasoline and Diesel Using Spot Market Prices

If you buy gasoline and diesel from a wholesale rack, keeping an eye on spot market prices may be your...

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October 28, 2019
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

How to Find (and Use!) Your Ideal Gasoline and Diesel Price Report

In the fuel business, price transparency is everything. But how do you know what level of price discovery is right...

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September 16, 2019
Mexico, Rack Market, Retail Market

Understanding Retail Gasoline Markets in Mexico

The retail gasoline market in Mexico has been undergoing a transformation since the passage of energy reforms in 2013 that...

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June 4, 2019
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

3 Steps to Buying Gasoline & Diesel Smarter: The Efficient Fuel Buyer’s Guide

  If you are new to buying wholesale gas and diesel, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Volatile gasoline and diesel...

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June 3, 2019
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

Wholesale Gas & Diesel Terminal Owner Changes

The end of 2018 and the start of 2019 saw new owners for U.S. wholesale gasoline and diesel fuel terminals, with...

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May 20, 2019
Carbon, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

The California Gasoline Price Rally: What Happened, What’s Next

March and April 2019 were challenging months for California gasoline prices, with retail prices cresting $4/gal.  OPIS’ Lisa Street and...

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April 15, 2019
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Behind the California Retail Gas Price Spike: The Price Influence Chain in Action

Average retail gas prices in California have skyrocketed this spring, underscoring how the spot fuel market closely impacts prices at...

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April 8, 2019
Rack Market

Wholesale Gas & Diesel Rack Price Transparency Explained

Gasoline and diesel prices go up and down. That’s just the way the fuel market works! But what never goes...

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April 1, 2019
Biofuels, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

Behind the Scenes: Anatomy of an OPIS Gas and Diesel Rack Price

Today we’re taking you behind the scenes at OPIS to show you how our team of analysts collect the wholesale...

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March 18, 2019
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

Gasoline Price Volatility and the 2019 RVP Season

It’s almost spring (never mind that snow!),  but the gasoline market is already thinking summer.

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November 4, 2018
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Retail Market

Gasoline Retailers Find the Big Inning with Price Margins

Baseball teams like the New York Yankees are often criticized because they depend on the “Big Inning” to juice up...

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September 17, 2018
Futures Market, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

How Diesel Price Hedging Can Guard Against Rising Values

Diesel is the fuel of economic growth both domestically and abroad. The diesel prices you pay are influenced by many factors...

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August 27, 2018
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

What Makes Gasoline Prices Go Up & Down?

Congratulations! You’ve planned an impromptu weekend getaway!  The car is packed. Kids’ iPads are charged. Last thing you need to...

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August 20, 2018
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

Improve Gasoline and Diesel Buying with This Surprise Strategy

If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of buyers that pull gasoline and diesel from one of the...

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August 13, 2018
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

Wholesale Fuel Terminal Owners: Who’s In, Who’s Out?

 The first half of 2018 saw many new owners for U.S. wholesale fuel terminals, with oil companies coming in and moving...

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July 23, 2018
Biofuels, Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

Wholesale Fuel Pricing: An Inside Look

Your wholesale rack report is filled with critical fuel prices. But where do they come from?

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July 19, 2018
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Video: Analysis of July’s Oil Price Drop

July 2018 has so far witnessed a steep drop in oil prices. 

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July 17, 2018
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Oil Price Rally Hits a Snag: Two Factors to Watch

   The two-week-long run up in bulk U.S. gasoline prices in summer 2018 hit a mid-July roadblock when oil prices...

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June 25, 2018
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Intro to Fuel Pricing: OPIS Crash Course Podcast

The world runs on fuel. From upstream resources, like crude oil and natural gas, to refined products, like gasoline or...

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June 18, 2018
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Oil Price Analysis: Mid-Year 2018 Update

A steady diet of curveballs may be the best way to describe the first half of 2018 for oil and...

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April 23, 2018
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

Fuel Specifications Explained

You may think that all fuel is alike – but it’s not. So, what exactly is fuel specification?

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April 16, 2018
Mexico, Rack Market, Retail Market

Mexican Fuel Market Liberalization Timeline 2018

In the space of just four years, Mexico’ energy markets – from wellhead to service station – have opened to...

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March 26, 2018
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market, Spot Market

Gasoline Price Volatility and the Spring RVP Transition

Spring has sprung – Nor’easters blanketing a huge swath of the United States in snow notwithstanding – but the gasoline...

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March 12, 2018
Rack Market

Oil Spill Liability Tax Basics 

The 9 cents per barrel federal oil spill liability tax, which expired Dec. 31, 2017, went back into effect March...

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February 26, 2018
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Significant Gasoline Price Inflation Likely In March Madness

We’ve used the “March Madness” sobriquet before, but not necessarily in recent cheap fuel years.  Get ready for gasoline prices...

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December 26, 2017
C-stores, Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

Top 10 Downstream Oil Industry Stories of 2017

The past year brimmed with breaking news and analysis in the downstream oil industry.

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December 18, 2017
Rack Market, Retail Market, Spot Market

5 Hits & A Miss from the OPIS 2017 Oil Market Outlook

The end of the year is drawing near. We thought we’d take a break from last-minute online holiday shopping for...

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December 11, 2017
Mexico, Rack Market, Retail Market

Tips on Branded and Unbranded Fuel in Mexico

Epic changes since the passage of energy reforms in 2013 have opened up opportunities for U.S. branded and unbranded fuel...

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November 20, 2017
Gas & Diesel, Mexico, Rack Market, Spot Market

Mexico Fuel Price Liberalization Map

 Following passage of energy reforms in late 2013, Mexico’s upstream and downstream gasoline and diesel markets are opening to private investment...

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September 13, 2017
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

The Lowdown on Typical Payment Terms in Your Fuel Report

OPIS wholesale rack reports were created to provide a font of information about the markets from which you purchase fuel....

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September 12, 2017
Gas & Diesel, Rack Market

How To Read Your Wholesale Rack Report

Your wholesale rack report is an invaluable tool to help you make sure you are not being overcharged by your...

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