Essays in Industrial Organization.
详细信息
- 作者：Zhang ; Ke.
- 学历：Doctor
- 年：2012
- 导师：Houde, Jean-Francois,eadvisorHendricks, Kennethecommittee memberSorensen, Alanecommittee memberGandhi, Amitecommittee memberHueth, Brentecommittee member
- 毕业院校：The University of Wisconsin
- Department：Economics
- ISBN：9781267553850
- CBH：3522880
- Country：USA
- 语种：English
- FileSize：3135248
- Pages：80
文摘
Chapter 1 Impact of the Sulfur Content Regulation on Refinery Input Choices The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decided in 2000 to enact a policy change that reduced the amount of sulfur permitted in diesel fuel. The goal of this paper is to examine how the policy change affected the decision process of a refinery in choosing the optimal type of crude oil to be used as raw material. This paper uses panel data on U.S. refineries from 1994 to 2009 to determine how did refinery choices in the type of crude oil used change with the implementation of the new policy. Chapter 2 Estimation of a Production Function with Differentiated Input Unlike traditional heterogeneity in total factor productivity, refineries produce a mix of outputs and each refinery has a comparative advantage for a different mix of products. In order to accurately capture the production of petroleum outputs for economic analysis, refinery technology and crude oil characteristics must be taken into account. To model the multiple outputs, I use a CES production function to capture the substitutability between each output. In this paper I generalize the share parameter by allowing the output share to be a function of both plant and crude oil characteristics. Chapter 3 The Effect of Sulfur Content Regulation on the U.S. Diesel Market The goal of this paper is to quantify the effects of the policy change on the diesel fuel market. I will investigate the impact on the marginal cost of diesel and other petroleum products for U.S. refineries. Also, I will quantify the effects on the diesel wholesale prices in each state and determine how each region in the U.S. may be impacted differently by the new regulation.