When a fuel oil-fired power plant was sold for demolition and site reclamation, the parties could not agree on the value of the residual fuel oil inventory. Baker & O'Brien determined the "heel" in the residual product, disposition practices and options, and the ultimate product net value. We analyzed the quality of the product and assessed its value.

Presented here was an attractive alternative to the cost of arbitration for the producer and buyer who disputed the definition of Market Price for a petroleum derived product. As the recognized industry expert, Baker & O'Brien was able to analyze the limited market with confidential pricing information to establish a price that best fit the Market Price definition. The expert report was used in the decision on how to resolve this matter.

Global helium resources are concentrated in only a few countries with limited suppliers and market off-take users, which results in an opaque fair market value. When privatization of a government-owned helium resource was mandated, we were asked to evaluate the market structure and the benchmark pricing basis as a reasonable contracting basis. This article describes our analysis of the helium market volatility in relation to the theory of using auction results to establish a commercially viable pricing basis.