Here we go again, gas prices up $0.34/gal in the last week!

[ZEDU657]

Fuckin' Bush & Cheney--those guys are STILL screwing us!!!

 

[Dug]

So, what's the excuse this time? I thought that gas prices were supposed to drop around now due to the Chevron refinery going back up to capacity again after the fire!

If there is one single thing keeping this country in a recession, it is the greed of the oil/gas company execs!

California is a closed market for gasoline. The previous surge in gas prices was due to several refineries shut downing for various reasons at or near the same time which included the Chevron refinery which experienced a well publicized fire.

When the supply in our state was interrupted due to the aforementioned shutdowns prices shot up big time because again California is "special" and we have a "Special Blend" of gas which no one uses. The only way the surge in gas prices was able to be alleviated was when the governor opened up our market and lifted the restrictions on the type of gas which could be sold in the state. It was a temporary lifting of this restriction that saw gas prices level off within a few weeks and than proceed to drop off. This was done in order to quell the public outrage over rising gas prices but it was also a clear example of what occurs when you over regulate a market to the point that it can only be serviced by a increasing diminishing number of oil refineries in state. In addition Cap and Trade is supposed to take effect this year as of January 1st so that's going to add a whole other layer of pressure on energy and fuel prices in the state so the fun is just getting started.

 

[Dug]

Gas is so cheap in the US that people need to understand energy stored deep in the ground half way around the world is not free. If we screw up the Wold Peak Oil thing the world economy could go into a non-recoverable recession. It all has to do with the EROEI and over investment in cheap oil.

There is a current glut of gas on the market place today and as of late OPEC nations have decided to cut down on their production of oil However currently due to new technology the US is producing more gas than it uses. In addition the global economy has experienced a large enough slow down so that less gas is being consumed worldwide which means less gas and as a result less oil is being used worldwide. Then you have the advent of hybrid, electric, NG powered gas, etc all of which means that predictions on peak oil have consistently always been off and always will be off by a significant margin because those predictions do not take into account the economic incentives to develop newer technologies which help to save on the consumption of oil itself and the discoveries of new methods to tap previously untapped oil all of which become more feasible as the price of oil goes up and than lose their edge once they end up over delivering oil into the markets and vice versa.

 

[antidote]

Anyone also notice a particularly high 'winter blend' hit to MPG? I mean, sure I am use to like a litttttle less MPG in the winter for whatever reason, but damn, this shit is like 4-5MPG less than it was just in summer??! Increase in the stupid ethanol? WTF?

 

[mike23w]

Anyone also notice a particularly high 'winter blend' hit to MPG? I mean, sure I am use to like a litttttle less MPG in the winter for whatever reason, but damn, this shit is like 4-5MPG less than it was just in summer??! Increase in the stupid ethanol? WTF?

i thought it was just me.

i'm seeing the same; about 3-5 mpg less also.

 

[m_asim]

Because they can?

THIS!

Getting into this petty sideshow of blaming Democrats or Republicans is idiotic. BOTH the parties get bribes from the same corporations. These guys will keep raping us because they can.

 

[RRR70]

So, Climber, no answer, huh? Why am I not surprised?

 

[Killroy1999]

Anyone also notice a particularly high 'winter blend' hit to MPG? I mean, sure I am use to like a litttttle less MPG in the winter for whatever reason, but damn, this shit is like 4-5MPG less than it was just in summer??! Increase in the stupid ethanol? WTF?

The difference that you are seeing is probably noise or due to other factors. The winter blend does not have significantly different energy density than summer. Other factors that may lower MPG are running more accessories than in the summer like, the defroster, headlights windshield wipers, cold temperature strain on the battery and longer warm up time.

 

[Killroy1999]

There is a current glut of gas on the market place today and as of late OPEC nations have decided to cut down on their production of oil However currently due to new technology the US is producing more gas than it uses. In addition the global economy has experienced a large enough slow down so that less gas is being consumed worldwide which means less gas and as a result less oil is being used worldwide. Then you have the advent of hybrid, electric, NG powered gas, etc all of which means that predictions on peak oil have consistently always been off and always will be off by a significant margin because those predictions do not take into account the economic incentives to develop newer technologies which help to save on the consumption of oil itself and the discoveries of new methods to tap previously untapped oil all of which become more feasible as the price of oil goes up and than lose their edge once they end up over delivering oil into the markets and vice versa.

I'm trying to be a alarmist hear and you are blowing it.

Actually, in retrospect the predictions of US peak oil was right on by Hubbert. The economic slow down does push off the world peak, but so people suggest that the recessions are partly triggered by peaking oil prices.

Remember that peak oil is not running out of oil, it is running out of cheap oil and a slow down in oil production. So when you say the higher oil prices make new technology and new, harder to get oil possible- that is exactly the problem. Hopefully we will be saved by alternatives, but so much money is invested in conventional oil burners. I dont have a electric car.

 

[clutchslip]

First off, they are pretty much a utility because their demand is pretty much guaranteed to be +/-5 always. In addition, their profit margin is 10% or higher which is really high for this type of commodity.

In a true free market, the prices would be much lower and the profits would be lower. But, the gas market is not a true free market.

What I'd like to see is the oil companies getting taxed up the kazoo to pay for the war in Iraq which was 99% for their benefit. At over $1 Trillion dollars, they haven't paid nearly enough taxes to cover that war and all of the other expenses put on the taxpayer to look after 'their' interests.

After all this time, you still haven't bothered to gather the facts, I am afraid. You can start here: exxonmobil-pays-3-in-taxes-for-every-1-in-profit

There is also a thread in the sink about hybrid autos. That thread alone, doesn't seem to support the idea of guaranteed gasoline demand, to me.

You could even read the post in this thread, where it explains how your helpful California government drives gas prices much higher than necessary. I suppose you could complain about more smog, if we stopped our CARB formulation of gasoline.

Do you know how much of your gasoline cost is tax at the pump? I bet not.

California is a closed market for gasoline. ......
When the supply in our state was interrupted due to the aforementioned shutdowns prices shot up big time because again California is "special" and we have a "Special Blend" of gas which no one uses.....

 

[Sharky]

First off, they are pretty much a utility because their demand is pretty much guaranteed to be +/-5 always. In addition, their profit margin is 10% or higher which is really high for this type of commodity.

In a true free market, the prices would be much lower and the profits would be lower. But, the gas market is not a true free market.

What I'd like to see is the oil companies getting taxed up the kazoo to pay for the war in Iraq which was 99% for their benefit. At over $1 Trillion dollars, they haven't paid nearly enough taxes to cover that war and all of the other expenses put on the taxpayer to look after 'their' interests. Instead, we the taxpayers are paying to protect their interests, then they turn around and screw us and drive us deeper into a recession to satisfy their own greed.

Anybody who would claim that any of the gas execs are patriots is a fool.

As to your last paragraph, that is simply an idiotic statement and you know it. I know you're smarter than that, so please refrain from writing stupid things like that to support some rant.

Companies don't pay taxes for the most part, the added cost is passed down to consumers. If it becomes too expensive to sell gas to the US it can always be sold overseas. The screwing we are getting is in part the industry, but the gov't has been taking its points. Hey just look to cap and trade brand new in California.

 

[Climber]

So, Climber, no answer, huh? Why am I not surprised?

Some of us have a life.

 

[Climber]

After all this time, you still haven't bothered to gather the facts, I am afraid. You can start here: exxonmobil-pays-3-in-taxes-for-every-1-in-profit

There is also a thread in the sink about hybrid autos. That thread alone, doesn't seem to support the idea of guaranteed gasoline demand, to me.

You could even read the post in this thread, where it explains how your helpful California government drives gas prices much higher than necessary. I suppose you could complain about more smog, if we stopped our CARB formulation of gasoline.

Do you know how much of your gasoline cost is tax at the pump? I bet not.

Keep drinking the koolaid....

 

[Sharky]

Funny, yesterday I was reading a Budgie post and thought, Climber hasn't posted for a while.

 

[sv2007]

So, what's the excuse this time? I thought that gas prices were supposed to drop around now due to the Chevron refinery going back up to capacity again after the fire!

If there is one single thing keeping this country in a recession, it is the greed of the oil/gas company execs!

No matter what price gas is, it seems we still drive. Send a message by walking to work!

 

[Holeshot]

Isn't this a weird idiom? It should read, "I could care more...."

Unfortunately, those that claim to care the most about poor people do the most to hurt them on a real, fundamental basis. (Most) rich people don't care about gas prices. Poor people and green evangelists, do care.

Or "couldn't care less"...as in, you're at the bottom...can't go lower. Of course Fred's retort will be "I couldn't care less how it's really said"...which is appropos.

 

[Asphaultnaut]

I don't get how anyone with common sense can claim that the war in Iraq and opening up more ME oil "benefits" American oil companies.

Increasing the supply does not increase the price. Making more oil available, ditto.

Biggest problem is Chinese consumption increasing. Add in OPEC which still isn't an American outfit last I heard, and we see the problem with fuel costs is not that big of an American issue.

The inconvenient fact that the majority of petrochemical consumption is NOT motor fuel makes the issue of prices at the pump even less due to oil suppliers.

 

[Cycle61]

I'm not seeing a 5mpg drop with the winter blends, maybe 2-3. But it sure is nice to get some Oregon or Washington gas in the car on a road trip and pull 500 miles out of a 14.5 gallon tank on the way home.

 

[V4]

 

[antidote]

The difference that you are seeing is probably noise or due to other factors. The winter blend does not have significantly different energy density than summer. Other factors that may lower MPG are running more accessories than in the summer like, the defroster, headlights windshield wipers, cold temperature strain on the battery and longer warm up time.

Ok. I'm no physics or chemistry major...but what?

How are electrical loads in anyway going to screw up my mileage? Isn't the belt running the alternator spinning 100% of the time regardless?

Defroster? Isn't that the same condenser that is run during the summer to power the AC--only, in the winter it actually has to be used less?

I always turn all my lights on (CA drivers require this precaution).

Warm up time? Hmm...maaybe have a little something something there.

All I know is for everyone complaining about lack of free market in CA thank god our gasoline isnt regulated by PG&E! Talk about a corner on the utilities market....sheesh....