Twenty Questions Will Steer Gasoline's Direction for Summer Drive Time

LAKEWOOD, N.J., May 14, 2003 -- The answers to twenty critical questions may determine whether gasoline prices rise and fall like a Summer roller coaster in the next four months. Incredibly volatile fuel cost swings of 25% to 60% have been a fixture in three of the last four summers, and petroleum marketers, traders, and motorists are bracing for more of the same as they get ready to kick off the traditional driving season.

Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) surveyed leading marketers to find out their most pressing obstacles heading into the pivotal gasoline marketing season -- and documented the most pertinent issues expected to shape the movement of gasoline, diesel and crude in the next four months.

Now's your chance to hear the answers firsthand from a blue ribbon panel of experts featuring Energy Information Administration (EIA) Senior Analyst Joanne Shore and Deutsche Bank Energy Analyst Jay Saunders. Public and private companies are invited for this special OPIS Market Call, a 90-minute teleconference Q&A on Wednesday, May 21 from 3:30-5:00pm ET. Listeners are invited to ask the experts questions.

They'll be joined by OPIS senior analyst Tom Kloza who will moderate a fast-moving audio conference focusing on the fundamentals, politics, and psychological factors that could cause huge swings in petroleum costs this year.

For a sneak preview of the 20 most critical questions for gasoline marketers today, and to sign up and save $50 visit www.opisnet.com/marketcall/Q&AA268.html.

These top analysts will look at what might shape OPEC's decision at their June ministerial meeting, why offshore gasoline supply may be the most critical element in June-August pricing, the impact of $6.00 plus natural gas values on the petroleum products market, potential regional hot spots in the U.S. distribution network, why some boutique blends may command huge premiums to traditional gasoline, and more.

The differences between market lows and highs for "driving season" have been staggering in many previous years. Wholesale gasoline prices jumped by nearly 60% in 1999; but they fell by some 20-25% in 2000. In 2001, some Midwestern markets saw a 45cts gal early Summer decline which was followed by a 50cts gal recovery when one critical refinery was knocked out of commission. Gasoline buyers and sellers can prepare ahead of this curve, and the Memorial Day weekend kickoff to the U.S. driving season -- traditionally one of the most turbulent times for prices.

Sign up and have dozens of your staff and colleagues listen in on the call for one low price of only $129 by calling 1-800-260-1545 or visit www.opisnet.com/marketcall/indexA268.html. All registrants receive the "OPIS Summer Price History 1999-02 Report" with detailed gasoline and diesel prices for critical U.S. spot markets that allows you to examine past trends.

Oil Price Information Service is the only comprehensive source of U.S. wholesale, spot and retail petroleum prices, tracking more than 85,000 daily retail gasoline prices, and 70,000 rack and spot prices for heating oil, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, LP-Gas, residual fuel, natural gas, MTBE and ethanol. More than 100 billion gallons of fuel are purchased annually based on an OPIS Price Index.