Analyzing the Fuel Market Dynamics in Argentina: FP20 Analytics Data Challenges 14

Background Information

This project delves into Argentina’s fuel market dynamics over the past few years. Analyzing data from government databases and fuel companies, it explores trends and fluctuations in fuel prices for different types (gasoline, diesel, alternatives) and sellers across various regions.

The goal is to uncover patterns like price adjustments, seasonal variations, and regional discrepancies. By leveraging clear data analysis, the project aims to reveal the key drivers affecting fuel prices without resorting to complex statistical methods. Ultimately, it seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of how fuel prices behave throughout Argentina.

About the Dataset

The dataset encompasses monthly data ranging from June 2016 to October 2023. It provides insights into Argentina’s gas station landscape, including:

• Oil and Gas Companies: Names of energy companies supplying gas stations across Argentina, along with the presumed networks they supply or manage.
• Gas Station Network: Unique identifiers for each gas station, categorized by company (4,306 stations after data transformation).
• Fuel Prices: The types of fuel offered at each station, along with their corresponding prices in Argentine Pesos.
• Station Details: Comprehensive information for each station, including company name, legal ID, address, GPS coordinates (latitude & longitude), and regional location (province and city).
• Shift Information: Details on gas station operation times, categorized by daytime and nighttime shifts.

Data Transformation

Around 3% of the data in the dataset has formatting issues. These rows are currently in a single column format, while the rest are separated into eight columns using commas. Excel’s “Text to Columns” feature can easily fix this inconsistency.

Part I: Understanding Argentina’s Fuel Market and Currency Dynamics

Fuel options in Argentina are diverse, with five types available, though not all stations offer the full range. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) offers the most budget-friendly option with an average price of 163.9%, reflecting a significant increase over the past year (93.08%). Conversely, Gasoil Grade 3 is the costliest fuel at $429.0, despite a slight decrease compared to last month. It’s important to note that the color coding on fuel price changes is presented from the consumer’s point of view. Green highlights a welcome decrease in price, while red signifies a price increase, impacting transportation costs and overall budget.

Argentina’s dependence on oil imports creates an inverse relationship between fuel prices and the Argentinian Peso (ARS) exchange rate with the US Dollar (USD). As the chart demonstrates, significant events have contributed to the ongoing devaluation of the Peso. This devaluation has a two-fold negative effect on Argentinian consumers. Firstly, it directly translates to higher fuel costs. Secondly, a weaker Peso means a decline in purchasing power, as imported goods become more expensive.

The first page of the dashboard offers fuel price insights through key performance indicators (KPIs) for the five main fuel types sold at Argentinian gas stations. Each fuel type’s KPI includes:

• Year-to-date average price (based on the latest recorded price)
• Price change percentage (selectable between month-over-month or year-over-year)
• Column chart showing the monthly price trend for 2023 compared to 2022
• Overall average price across all years
• All-time high and all-time low prices

Additionally, a line chart displays fuel price fluctuations alongside the ARS/USD exchange rate. This chart allows users to explore the correlation between these variables and identify potential events that caused the Argentine Peso devaluation and subsequent rise in fuel prices. Users can zoom in on specific timeframes (3 months, 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years) for a more granular analysis.

This page provides insights that address these key stakeholder questions:

Question 1: What is the average price of Gasoil Grade 2 across all provinces?

In October 2023, the highest recorded price was $343.9, while the average price across the entire period was $317.8.

Question 3: How has the price of Petrol Premium — 95 Octane changed from September 2022 to October 2023?

The price of Petrol Premium — 95 Octane doubled from September 2022 to October 2023, experiencing a significant increase of 121.12%.

Question 4: Which region has the highest average price for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)?

CENTRO leads the regions with the highest average cost for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The latest recorded price there was $190.7, while the overall average sits at $164.7.

Question 5: Can we observe any significant difference in fuel prices between daytime and nighttime shifts?

Analysis of the data revealed negligible price differences between daytime and nighttime gas station operations. Therefore, the shift type slicer has been excluded to streamline the dashboard and focus on more impactful insights.

Question 6: What is the price range for Petrol unleaded — 95/98 Octane in the Buenos Aires province?

The most recent data (October 2023) indicates an average price of $309.9. This price point also represents the all-time high, while the all-time low was recorded at $19.7.

Question 12: What was the highest and lowest prices of Gasoil Grade 2 in the province of Buenos Aires during the year 2023?

In the province of Buenos Aires, Gasoil Grade 2 saw its highest prices in October 2023 at $339.3, while the lowest price point was recorded in January of the same year at $196.1.

Question 13: Which month had the greatest profit win in the prices of Petrol unleaded — 95/98 Octane during the year 2022?

Petrol Unleaded — 95/98 Octane peaked in July of 2022, reaching a price of $183.6.

Part II: The Oil & Gas Companies

Argentina’s gas stations witnessed a record-breaking surge in revenue in October 2023. Compared to the previous month, revenue skyrocketed by a staggering 1,658%, marking a nearly 17-fold increase. This unprecedented growth can be attributed to a significant rise in the number of gas stations affiliated with YPF during that month, which automatically inflated overall revenue.

Due to the significant jump in revenue, a logarithmic scale is crucial for the charts. This ensures that even the smaller values are clearly represented.

Moving beyond fuel price analysis, the second page offers a comprehensive examination of Argentina’s oil and gas supplier landscape. This section focuses on the 11 key companies supplying fuel to gas stations nationwide, providing valuable insights for informed decision-making.

This page provides insights that address these key stakeholder questions:

Question 2: Which company has the highest total sales by city?

Barraca Guayquiraró S.R.L, a station located in Curuzu Cuatia, leads the pack with the highest year-to-date revenue of $7,124.

Question 5: How many different types of products are sold by the company “AUTOMOVIL CLUB ARGENTINO”?

A network of YPF gas stations, called Automóvil Club Argentino, offers a choice of 5 different fuel types across its 135 locations.

Question 8: Which city in the Patagonia region has the highest recorded price for any fuel type?

In the city of Barrancas, Carrera Menerildo Aquino station holds the record for the highest average fuel price across all fuel types, at a staggering $649.6.

Question 9: What are the top 10 companies by sales revenue in 2023?

Here are the top 10 companies by total revenue:

Question 10: What is the total revenue generated by each flagged company if we assume each price corresponds to one sale?

Eleven oil and gas companies have recorded a combined year-to-date revenue of $11,697,700.

Question 11: Which company experienced the greatest percentage change in the price of Gasoil Grade 3 between September 2022 and October 2023?

In October 2023, PUMA Energy saw a staggering 7,451.85% increase in yearly revenue.

Question 14: Are there significant correlations between geographical location and product prices for a specific company?

Misiones province has the highest average price, at $408.1. Within Misiones, Rutas De Las Misiones S.A. stands out as the station with the priciest fuel at $573.5 per liter.

Question 15: What was the product that showed the highest sales?

Gasoil Grade 3 is the revenue leader year-to-date, having generated a substantial $3,269,640.

Question 16: Was there any month in the year 2023 where a trend of increasing prices for all products sold by a specific company was observed?

In October 2023, the average fuel price for all types of products reached an all-time high. This increase in the national average price prompted gas stations throughout Argentina to raise their own prices accordingly.

Question 17: Which company showed the greatest volatility in the prices of all its products during the year 2023?

YPF’s recorded gas station network saw a significant, sudden rise in October 2023. This rapid expansion contributed to the company experiencing the greatest volatility in both revenue and fuel prices throughout this year.