Thomas G. Creery
Management
Thanks Jim, and good morning, everyone. As Jim previously mentioned, we ran a total of 461,000 barrels a day of crude oil in the fourth quarter. This leg was composed of approximately 26% sour and 19% WCS and black wax crude oil. Our average laid-in crude cost in the Mid-Con was flat against WTI and under WTI by $3.06 in the Rockies and $0.26 in the Southwest. In the fourth quarter of 2017, we witnessed global and U.S. product inventories becoming re-balanced, as they receded from five-year average highs to current lows, signaling an increased global demand. Gasoline inventories in the Magellan system, while increasing by 1 million barrels to end the fourth quarter with 7 million barrels, were still lower than the last year levels at this time. Diesel inventories were down by 1.8 million barrels versus last year to close the Magellan system at 4.67 million barrels. In terms of days of supply in the group, fourth quarter gasoline was at 19 days and diesel at 23 days. Each of these ratios is at or near six-year lows. Lower inventories and higher demand helped cracks in all regions during the fourth quarter. When compared to the third quarter of this year, cracks in the Mid-Con were lower in the fourth by $1.25, and approximately $4.50 in both the Southwest and Rockies. However, when compared to fourth quarter cracks of 2016, cracks in our markets were some $5 to $8 higher. Crude differentials widened across heavy slates during the fourth quarter. On the Canadian side, a pipeline leak on the Keystone system precipitated widening differentials for Canadian heavies. The majority of the price impact will not be seen until the first quarter of 2018, due to the timing of the trade window and the in-transit time for the physical delivery of this oil. To put this in a better perspective, the average December trade differential was $13.93 per barrel compared to current differentials for April delivery of upwards of $30 per barrel. HFC, due to its firm space commitments on various pipelines, is well-positioned to purchase and deliver volumes of price advantaged heavy crude oil from Canada. Fourth quarter consolidated gross margin was $12.54 per barrel sold, an 85% increase over the $6.77 recorded in the same quarter of 2016. We continued to see improvements in our Rocky Mountain Region with a realized gross margin of $12.19 per produced barrels, which represents a 96% increase from the fourth quarter of 2016. With the tailwind from WCS differentials and improving black wax production levels, we anticipate higher realized margins in 2018 in the Rockies. Our RIN expense in the quarter was $78 million, including a $27 million benefit we received for the Woods Cross' 2016 small refinery exemption. For the full year, our RIN expense was $288 million, including the Woods Cross and Cheyenne small refinery exemptions for 2016. And with that, let me turn the call over to Rich.