Survey of Department of Energy Data on Gasoline Overcharges by Oil Companies

Since the formation of the Department of Energy (DOE) on October 1, 1977, the Economic Regulatory Administration (ERA) has been responsible for ensuring that oil companies comply with the petroleum regulations. The ERA compliance program is organized into two major components, the Office of Special Counsel for Compliance, which is responsible for auditing the 34 major refiners, and the Office of Enforcement, which is responsible for auditing all other oil firms. Each of these components is responsible for determining whether its designated segment of the petroleum industry is complying with applicable pricing and allocation regulations, identifying violations, and initiating and executing whatever enforcement actions are necessary to remedy the violations.