EIA-782 Protocol

EIA-782A: Refiners'/Gas Plant Operators' Monthly Petroleum Product Sales Report

EIA-782C: Monthly Report of Prime Supplier Sales of Petroleum Products Sold for Local Consumption

Cognitive Interviews Protocol

July 2016

(This protocol is a guide – the questions presented here won’t necessarily be asked exactly as worded in the protocol or in this order. It is important to note that not all questions will be asked in every interview.)

Research Goals:

• To understand the respondent burden associated with the EIA-782 survey ;

• To understand how respondents determine the destination state for sales of petroleum products;

• To understand how respondents collect and compile reportable gasoline and jet fuel data for the EIA-782 series reports.

Part A – Introduction

• Introduce observers and their background

Purpose of Phone Call:

Let me start by telling you a little about what we will be doing today:

• We are asking you some questions about your reporting burden.

• We are trying to determine the impact of consolidating some data products.

• You were selected because you currently complete the EIA-782A/C form.

• There are no right or wrong answers, and if something doesn’t make sense to you or you have any questions, please ask. It is important for us to know both things that work and don’t work so we can improve the form.

• Before we get started, I'd like to audio record this interview so I don't have to later rely on my memory. This session is confidential, which means only persons directly related to this project can listen to your tapes, and the recordings are erased once our report is written. The report combines information from all of our interviews and contains no information that personally identifies you or the company at which you work. Is it okay if I record this interview?

• Do you have any questions?

Part B – Background Information

Let’s begin by talking about your company:

• What is your title?

• Are you in charge of government reporting?

  • (If needed) Do you complete any state and/or federal regulatory forms?

  • (If needed) Do you complete any other EIA forms?

• How do you usually submit these other reports? (electronically, fax, mail, email)

• How much time would you say you spend gathering data necessary for the EIA-782 forms?

• How much time would you say you spend filling in the EIA-782?

• So would you say it takes you a total of [INSERT AMOUNT OF TIME] to fill out the EIA-782?

Part 1- Monthly Sales Records of Petroleum Products

• Do you keep the sales records of your subsidiaries in your database or do you have to get that information from the subsidiaries?

• How does your company track No. 2 distillate fuels?

  • How do you classify the different No. 2 distillate fuels?

    • (If needed) is that by sulfur content?

    • What other characteristics about the No. 2 fuels do you track in your records?

  • How do you distinguish between No. 2 diesel fuel and No. 2 fuel oil?

• What about different types of No. 2 diesel fuel (15ppm sulfur and under/15ppm to 500ppm/greater than 500ppm) how do you track these different fuel categories in your records?

• How easy or difficult would it be for you to combine and report your 15ppm to 500ppm and greater than 500ppm sulfur diesel fuels together?

• How does your company track gasoline sales?

  • Do you blend ethanol into gasoline blend stock yourself?

  • How are you tracking those sales to report on the 782A/C?

  • Does your blending occur at a third party location like a terminal rack?

  • If yes, how are you tracking those sale to report on the 782 A/C?

• Do you track the volume of gasoline sold through your company’s retail outlets on an annual basis? (We are not asking about volumes delivered to stations; we are asking about the volumes sold from pumps at the retail outlet locations.)

  • Do you have this kind of sales data for stations operated by branded dealers (i.e., customers who have signed supply agreements to sell your brand of gasoline through their retail locations)?

  • Is this data broken out by grade (e.g., regular, midgrade, or premium)?

• How easy or difficult would it be for you to report your biodiesel sales to EIA?

  • We would want your biodiesel sales reported by state; how easy or difficult would it be for you to report that information to EIA?

• How does your company track its E85 sales in your records?

  • How easy or difficult would it be for you to report your E85 sales to EIA?

• Do you operate as a blender?

  • If yes, do you use ethanol as a blending component?

• Could you report the quantity of ethanol you use for blending?

• Does your company have any sales of kerosene-type jet fuel?

• Does your company have any sales of aviation gasoline (finished)?

• Have you heard of the term bonded aviation fuel? Can you tell me in your own words what “bonded aviation fuel” means to you?

  • Does your company sell bonded fuel?

  • If so, do you currently exclude sales of bonded fuel on Forms EIA-782A .

Part 2A- Destination State (782A Only)

• When does your company transfer title of the petroleum product?

• Does your company have any wholesale?

  • If yes, how does your company track the sales to jobbers?

• Where do you currently report your sales to jobbers on Form EIA-782A?

  • For gasoline sales, can you explain what the categories bulk, rack, and DTW sale mean to you?

  • How do you classify bulk sales vs rack sales?

Part 2B- Destination State (782C Only)

• How does your company track the final destination of your petroleum products sales?

• Do you use the EIA-782C Exclusionary List when completing EIA-782C survey form?

  • How do you use it?

  • Do you have any problems or difficulty in using it?

• Do you have any suggestions for the Exclusionary list?

• What does the term “products sold for local consumption ” mean to you?

• Do you have another name you would use to describe products sold for local consumption?

Wrap Up

• Overall, what do you think of the 782 A/C surveys?

• Is there any information not being asked on this form that you would find useful?

• Thinking of the items we asked about today, about how much time do you think it would take you to report the new data elements EIA is thinking about collecting?

• Do you have any suggestions to improve the survey?

Thank you for your time today