Heating Season
The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has participated in the State Heating Oil and Propane Program for twenty–one winter seasons. During the heating season (October to March), staff contact companies each week who supply heating oil to Nebraska, collect Monday's retail price, and submit the data to the Energy Information Administration. The Energy Information Administration calculates the average price shown in the table above.
Off Season
During the off season or build season (April through September), time permitting, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy staff continue to contact the same companies who were contacted during the heating season. Staff contact companies once a month instead of once a week since the price of heating oil is usually not volatile during the off season. The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy staff calculate the average price, shown in the table above, from the companies' retail prices on the first Monday of the month.
State Heating Oil
and Propane Program
The Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy, conducts the State Heating Oil and Propane Program from October to March—the heating season—each year. The Energy Information Administration collects prices for the program each week from participating states and calculates a state average price, a regional average price, and a national average price which can be seen in the report Weekly Heating Oil and Propane Prices.
Midwest Region
For statistical purposes, the Energy Information Administration defines the Midwest Region to include the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Price Explanation
The prices represent average residential home heating charge prices for home delivery of No. 2 heating oil, excluding taxes and cash discounts.
A general rule of thumb: A dollar increase in the
West
Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price per barrel will result
in a 2.5–cent increase in the price of heating oil fuel per gallon.
Likewise, a dollar decrease in the WTI crude oil price per barrel will
result in a 2.5–cent decrease in the price of heating oil fuel per gallon.