Economic Insight, Inc.
3004 SW First Avenue ‑‑ Portland, Oregon 97201
1.503.222.2425 ‑‑ Fax: 1.503.242.2968
email: svv@econ.com

Samuel A. Van Vactor — Résumé  

Professional Experience

President, Energy Economist, with Economic Insight, Inc. (EII), Portland, Oregon, 1981 to present, and researcher at the University of Cambridge.  EII publishes the Energy Market Report on electricity and Pacific West Oil Data on petroleum.  The firm averages ten employees. It collects and publishes data, conducts research, undertakes policy analyses and provides expert witness services for tax and regulatory hearings.  A sample of recent projects include: Analysis of natural gas and electricity markets in Japan for the Mitsubishi Research Institute; analysis of crude oil royalty obligations for the American Petroleum Institute; organization and editing of Natural Gas in Asia: Facts and Fiction for the PECC Energy Forum; testimony on behalf of the California Power Exchange before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; testimony on behalf of Exxon concerning valuation of Alaska oil; testimony on behalf of Arco concerning valuation of inter-national crude oils; analysis of natural gas development in Southern Africa for Sasol; analysis of the ban on Alaska oil exports for the Cato Institute.   EII’s web site is at www.econ.com.

Research Associate, Portland State University, October 1979 to December 1981.  During this period I taught two courses in energy economics and managed several federal grants related to energy and economic issues in the Pacific Northwest.  

Director of Planning, Oregon Department of Energy, Salem, Oregon, October 1978 to October 1979.  I managed a group of six engineers and economists evaluating energy policy options for the State of Oregon.  

Senior Economist, at the International Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris, France, October 1975 to October 1978.  I helped design and implement the agency's country studies program.

International Economist, U.S. Treasury Department, Washington, D.C., August 1973 to October 1975.  I was a policy analyst for the Secretary and advised him on international issues, including currency devaluation, oil pricing and energy demand.  I assisted in the development of a series of domestic energy and economic policy documents.  I was a member of the negotiating team for long-term energy cooperation between the U.S. and other industrialized countries. 

Economics Instructor, University College, University of Maryland, European Division, September 1972 to June 73.  I taught Principles of Economics at the U.S. Embassy in London and at nearby military bases to U.S. servicemen and civilian employees.

Naval Officer (OCS Commission) U.S. Navy, April 1966 to September 1969.  I was communications officer on destroyers, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific.

Education

Ph.D. Candidate, University of Cambridge, U.K.
Research, London School of Economics, U.K.
M.A., Economics, University of Washington, U.S.A.
B.S., Economics, University of Oregon, U.S.A.

Significant Publications

I.  Contributions were made to the following government publications and reports, 
including primary authorship of some:

Energy Conservation in the International Energy Agency, 1976 Review, OECD, Paris, 
September 1976.

World Energy Outlook, OECD 1977.

Energy Policies and Programs of IEA Countries, 1977 and 1978 Reviews OECD.

Oregon's Energy Future, January 1979.

"Oil Shortages," Oregon Department of Energy, May 1979.

The United States Exerts Limited Influence on the International Crude Oil Spot Market, Report to the Congress by the Comptroller General, US General Accounting Office, August 21, 1980.

Gasoline Demand in the Pacific Northwest, The Pacific Northwest Supply System and Petroleum in the Pacific Northwest: Disruption or Transition, NW Energy Policy Workshop, 1980.

Alaska's Long‑Term Energy Plan, Division of Energy Power and Development, Alaska Department of Commerce, April 1981.

An Energy Emergency Contingency Plan for Alaska, Division of Energy Power and Development, Alaskan Department of Commerce, September 1981.

Fuel Prices in the Northwest, Long‑term oil and gas price Forecast for the Northwest Power Planning Council, September 1982.

II.  Author or co‑author for the following books, articles and speeches:

Competition in the Oil Industry,  (NSF funded project at George Washington University,) January 1976, with William A. Johnson and Richard E. Messick.

"Energy Conservation in the OECD, Progress and Results," The Journal of Energy and Development, Spring 1978 and International Comparisons of Energy Consumption, Resources for the Future, 1978.

"OPEC in Crisis," a paper delivered at the November 1982 annual meeting of the International Association of Energy Economists.

"World Oil Markets," a paper delivered at the January 1984 annual meeting of the International Association of Energy Economists, with Arlon R. Tussing.

"Mergers and Acquisitions in the Petroleum Industry," published in Papers and Proceedings of the Eighth Annual North American Conference, IAEE, at MIT, November 1986.

"Retrospective on Oil Prices," a paper for delivery at the Western Economic Association Meeting, July 1986 and published in Contemporary Policy Issues, July 1987 with Arlon R. Tussing.

"Evolution of Bulk‑Power Markets," A paper for delivery at the International Association of 
Energy Economists, Annual Meeting, Calgary Alberta, July 1987.

"U.S./Canada Trade and Energy: Learning from Past Mistakes," Forces, January 1988 with Arlon R. Tussing.

"The International Oil Market in 1988," Presentation to The Conference Board of Canada's 
Business Outlook 1988 Conference, Calgary Alberta, May 1988.

"Is an Oil Tariff Justified? An American Debate: I. Reality Says No," The Energy Journal, July 1988 with Arlon R. Tussing.

"Spot and Contract Markets in the Petroleum Industry," with Ronald D. Ripple, a paper delivered at the International Association of Energy Economics, Annual Meeting, Caracas, June 1989.

"Prospective on World Energy Markets: Real Costs Will Continue to Fall," published in the OPEC Review, Summer 1990 with Arlon R. Tussing.

PADD V in Transition: Strategic Evaluation of Oil Industry Prospects in the 1990s, November, 1992 published with Energy Security Analysis, Inc.

"Time to End the Alaska Oil Export Ban," published by the Cato Institute, May 1995.

Publications (Continued)

"Natural Gas Deregulation in South Africa: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing," 1995-1996 with William A. Johnson, presentation May 1996, Budapest Hungary, International Conference of the IAEE.

"Power Trading: The Race is On," 1996, with Dona K. Lehr, speeches in San Diego for Executive Enterprises, Denver for Infocast, and Washington DC and Los Angeles for the IAEE.

"The Demand for Gas in a Coal-Based Energy Economy." with Ronald D. Ripple. Paper for the Northeast Asian Natural Gas Pipeline: Possibilities and Prospects, Beijing, China, September 1996.

"Evolution of Wholesale Power Price Structures in the Western Power Market," with Dona K. Lehr in The Evolving U.S. Power Market, Risk Publications, June 1997.

"Commoditisation" in The Evolving U.S. Power Market, Risk Publications, June 1997.

"Natural Gas Projects in Asia and the Development of Asian Gas Trunk Pipelines," for the Financial Times Conference on Asian Gas, June 1997.

“South Korea’s Thirst of Gas,” with Arlon R. Tussing, Financial Times Energy Economist, March 1998.

“Oil and Gas Development on Sakhalin Island,” with Arlon R. Tussing, Financial Times Energy Economist, July 1998.

“Enhancing Private Investment in the Natural Gas Industry in Asia,” in Natural Gas in Asia: Facts and Fiction, for PECC Energy Forum, November 1998 and the Journal of International Business, June 2000.

“Power Exchanges,” presentation before the Electric Power Research Institute’s Senior Executive Management Roundtable, November 1998.

“Electricity Restructuring in North America,” Financial Times Energy Economist, December 1998.

“Pricing Royalty Crude Oil,” for the American Petroleum Institute, January 2000.

“A Comparison of PJM and California Electricity Markets,” Public Utilities Fortnightly, July 2000. 

 "Butterflies in China:  Why the Sudden Rise in Energy Prices?” Energy Market Report, Friday, July 7, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 133.

”Power Price Spikes:  Aberration or Prophecy?” Energy Market Report, Monday, August 14, 2000, Vol.6, No. 159.

Publications (Continued)

 “Money, Power and Trade:  What You Didn’t Know About the Western Energy Crisis,” with Fred Pickel, May 1, 2001 for the Public Utilities Fortnightly.

“Will the Snow Tiger Come Down from the Mountain?  Japan’s Plan to Liberalizes Energy Markets,” May,  Oxford Energy Forum.

Recent Appearances:

Oregon Public Utility Commission, Hearing on Power Prices, August 14, 2000.

On Natural Gas Market Issues, February 8, 2001, PBS The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.