Lifting the Alaskan oil export ban: An intervention analysis

In this paper we examine the price effects on crude oils of removing the U. S. export ban on Alaskan North Slope crude oil in 1996. We estimate the lon g-run impact of removing the export ban through the use of a time series in tervention analysis. The results indicate that Alaskan crude oil prices inc reased between $0.98 and $1.30 on the West Coast spot market relative to pr ices of comparable crude oils as a result of removing the export ban. Howev er, we find no evidence that West Coast prices for refined oil products-reg ular unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel-increased as a result of lifting the ban.