Data Available From DOE and Private-Sector Sources To Address Selected Issues Regarding Heating Oil

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO summarized: (1) the types of information that would help explain heating oil pricing issues; (2) the difficulties involved in collecting such data; and (3) available information on heating oil price differences among states. GAO found that available data on heating inventories, sales, and prices cannot fully reflect rapidly changing developments in the heating oil market because: (1) inventory data cover only refinery inventories and not those held by distributors and consumers; (2) inventory data are reported by state and not by smaller geographical units; and (3) sales and price data are available only on a monthly basis, rather than on a weekly or daily basis. GAO noted that necessary information would have to be obtained from refiners and distributors, which would be difficult because: (1) it would take a long time to conduct the survey necessary to gather the information; (2) it would be difficult to survey a large enough sample of the industry to account for differences in local markets; (3) there are inherent difficulties in attempting to get companies to provide a reliable data; and (4) there is a potential for a low response rate because of the large number of small firms in the industry. GAO found that: (1) heating oil price differences among states were fairly consistent from 1979 to 1983; and (2) there was no information that would explain price differences among states.