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When EPA sets Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates, most attention focuses on the required volumes of renewable fuel. But behind the scenes, compliance depends on something called Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs. Understanding how RINs work, and why the industry's "RIN bank" is shrinking, helps explain why increasingly aggressive mandates are driving up RFS compliance costs.

EPA's reallocation announcement may sound like an obscure regulatory decision, but it goes to the heart of a growing problem within the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This latest action shifts additional compliance obligations onto non-exempt refiners, increasing costs throughout the system. The result is an already historically expensive RFS becoming even more expensive, with negative implications for fuel affordability, domestic refining and American energy security. Learn more about EPA's announcement, how reallocation works and why it matters.

Last year, Congress stopped California from banning sales of new gas cars and imposing electric heavy-truck mandates. It took bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voting together to rescind the EPA rules authorizing those California mandates. 

Geopolitical conflicts, refinery outages, export restrictions and supply chain disruptions have reduced the world's ability to convert crude oil into usable fuels, even as global consumer demand remains strong. The following perspectives from analysts and reporters help explain why fuel prices today aren’t moving in lockstep with crude oil prices, and why refining capacity has become one of the most important factors shaping what consumers pay at the pump.

People are increasingly turning to tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to get quick answers, draft content or spark new ideas. But artificial intelligence (AI) is doing much more than offering guidance — it is reshaping some of the world’s most complex and safety critical industries.

Some have been surprised by recent refining margins, earnings in the refining sector and a seeming disconnect between finished fuel prices and prices of crude oil. There’s a reason for this: in short, while the price of crude oil is the biggest factor determining fuel prices, it’s not the only factor, and there’s particular tightness in the global refined product market which hadn’t been the case until recently. Take a look to see what several analysts, reporters and market experts have explained about this topic.

Supply disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz have renewed questions about U.S. energy security and why events halfway around the world still affect energy markets here at home. While we are the world’s largest crude oil producer and make more than enough gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to meet domestic demand, we still import and export both crude oil and refined products.

U.S. refiners play a critical role in moments of supply/demand imbalance. Thanks to their scale, complexity, efficiency and global reach, American refineries keep fuel flowing efficiently here at home while also supplying much-needed gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other products to our allies abroad.

Gasoline and diesel prices are front-of-mind for Americans, and people are understandably interested in whether there’s a connection between higher pump prices (which refiners do not set) and higher profits in the refining industry. That deserves a deeper dive.