FAQs for Survey Form EIA-856

What is the purpose of this survey?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form EIA-856, “Monthly Foreign Crude Oil Acquisition Report," is designed to collect data on the cost and quantities of foreign crude oil (by country of origin) acquired for importation into the United States, including U.S. territories and possessions.

Where can I find the published data?

These prices are initially published in the following figures and tables of the Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM):

• Figure HL1 in PMM's Highlights (PDF): Crude oil and petroleum product wholesale prices
• Table 1: Crude Oil Prices (PDF)
• Table 21: F.O.B. Costs of Imported Crude Oil by Selected Country (PDF and HTML)
• Table 22: Landed Costs of Imported Crude Oil by Selected Country (PDF and HTML)
• Table 23: F.O.B. Costs of Imported Crude Oil by API Gravity (PDF and HTML)
• Table 24: Landed Costs of Imported Crude Oil by API Gravity (PDF and HTML)
• Table 25: Percentages of Total Imported Crude Oil by API Gravity (PDF and HTML)
• Table 26: F.O.B. Costs of Imported Crude Oil for Selected Crude Streams (PDF and HTML)
• Table 27: Landed Costs of Imported Crude Oil for Selected Crude Streams (PDF and HTML)

The PMM is released electronically each month. These statistics are widely used to inform the public and policymakers about current crude oil prices. Register for email notification for this and other EIA products by subscribing to our subscription.

When and how can I submit data each month?

Every month reports are due no later than 30 calendar days after the close of the reference month. For example, if the reference month is March 2013, the report must be submitted to EIA by April 30, 2013.

Completed forms may be submitted by facsimile, email, electronic transmission, or mail.

• Secure File Transfer forms - https://signon.eia.doe.gov/upload/noticeoog.jsp
• Email - OOG.SURVEYS@eia.doe.gov
• Fax completed forms to: 202-586-9772
• Mail - Oil & Gas Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, Ben Franklin Station, PO Box 279, Washington, DC 20044-0279

What is the estimated time needed to complete this survey?

The reporting burden for this survey is estimated to take an average of 6.1 hours per response, including the time of gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reporting the information.

Do I have to report data?

Yes. The report is mandatory. The timely submission of Form EIA-856 by those required to report is mandatory under Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (FEAA) (Public Law 93-275), as amended.

Failure to respond may result in a civil penalty of not more than $2,750 per day for each violation, or a fine of not more than $5,000 per day for each criminal violation. The government may bring a civil action to prohibit reporting violations which may result in a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction without bond. In such civil action, the court may also issue mandatory injunctions commanding any person to comply with these reporting requirements.

What are criteria for resubmissions?

Resubmissions are required if it is found that previously reported cost or volume data are in error by more than five percent
(+/-5%). For details on resubmissions, please see the instructions.

Are my data confidential?

Yes. Please be assured that the price information you provide is confidential and will be used for statistical purposes only. Your prices will be used along with other prices to calculate crude oil prices, which will be used by the Executive Branch, Congress, and industry in monitoring crude oil markets.

The information reported on this form will be protected and not disclosed to the public to the extent that it satisfies the criteria for exemption under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) regulations, 10 C.F.R. §1004.11, implementing the FOIA, and the Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. §1905.

The Federal Energy Administration Act requires EIA to provide company-specific data to other federal agencies when requested for official use. The information reported on this form may also be made available, upon request, to another component of DOE; to any Committee of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, or other Federal agencies authorized by law to receive such information. A court of competent jurisdiction may obtain this information in response to an order. The information may be used for any nonstatistical purposes such as administrative, regulatory, law enforcement, or adjudicatory purposes.

Disclosure limitation procedures are applied to the statistical data published from EIA-856 survey information to ensure that the risk of disclosure of identifiable information is very small. Information from this form is provided to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the Department of Labor as a primary input for calculating price indices for foreign crude oil. Company specific data are also provided to other DOE offices for the purpose of examining United States' crude oil imports.

Should I inform you of a change in the contact person in our company for Form EIA-856?

Yes. Whenever there is a change in the contact person for Form EIA-856 at your company please contact a representative at
1-800-638-8812 or via email at OOG.SURVEYS@eia.doe.gov. The contact person should be the most knowledgeable person about your reported data.

Should I inform you if our company is sold, merged with another company, or buys another company?

Yes. Whenever there is any change in ownership please inform a representative at 1-800-638-8812 or via email at OOG.SURVEYS@eia.doe.gov.

If I am unable to find a crude stream code for the crude oil my company is importing in Appendix A, Crude Stream Codes, what should I do?

Please contact 1-800-638-8812 and provide the approximated API gravities and sulfur content and we will assist in creating a crude code for the crude oil stream.

Do we have to report imported crude oil on Form EIA-856 we purchased from a second vendor after it entered the United States?

No. The company that imports the crude oil into the United States should report the cargo on Form EIA-856.