2011 Gas prices! What are you paying?

[brerrabbit]

Ok.

And, as I said, they are, OF COURSE, only interested in their bottom line.

From everything I've read, China is the country who has the greatest increase in demand for oil and gas. And perhaps we should spend an additional $10,000 or more for a "hybrid" car. That'll save some gas.

Nice of you to say "we".

I'd love to. Maybe my job will move closer to me. Or, hey, I can buy a new house closer to work. That's a cheap way to use less gas.

Nobody said we should get it cheap. I don't think reasonable is asking too much, though. few of us can go out and buy a new car that gets better gas mileage, or relocate, because the evil, greedy oil execs want to pad their bottom line, While knowing there's very little we can do about it.

Why does everyone always come back to greed? Look at the capital employed by the Big Oil companies and then look to see what their profit is a % capital. Then do the same thing for Microsoft, or any number of other companies. Big oil makes significantly less percentage wise than hundreds of other companies, but no one complains about how greedy Microsoft is. Yeah, I know you have a choice when it comes to spending money on a Microsoft product but gas is something you need everyday. But in the world we live in who doesn't own or use something from Microsoft every day of their lives. How did you get here (here being this posting board). Internet Explorer maybe? A Microsoft product, that someone paid for.

 

[KristaTX]

Why the wild swing in gas prices on the mainland?

And if you zre under 3 buvks a gallon no whining, some of us are 50 cents or more higher!!

I think those who have posted about prices they pay in Canada, Europe, and South America could say the same thing to you if they wanted to .

Compare these prices:

1 gallon of gas = $3.37

Quart of Milk 16 oz for $1.59 = $6.32 per gallon (gallons can be found for cheaper – $4ish a gallon)

Gatorade 20 oz for $1.59 = $10.17 per gallon

Snapple 16 oz for $1.29 = $10.32 per gallon

Water 9 oz for $1.49 = $21.19 per gallon

Starbucks 8 ounce coconut almond mocha for $4.43 = $70.88 per gallon

Yes, but no one needs Starbucks, Snapple, Gatorade, or bottled water to survive economically. Most working people need transportation to work, so this comparison isn't really valid.

These are just silly comparisons.

I don't think those are ridiculous comparisons. All of those other things, as far as I can tell, are made from renewable resources and are mostly wants. Gasoline and natural gas are not. It is ridiculous that we pay that much for Starbucks but are aghast when we have to pay $3+ for gasoline.

Even though it pains us when the price goes up, it seems like it should have been gradually becoming more expensive over the years (like park tickets, as one person mentioned). I think it's the fluctuation that gets to everyone.

Part of the reason for the increase is that there is a leak in the Alaskan Oil Pipeline. The North Slope fields are down to producing only 5% of capacity while they repair the line. Fortunately the leak was at a pump station and all the leakage was contained at the station on the sump area so no effect to the environment.

Thank you. That was the type of answer I was looking for. I forgot about that.

 

[eliza61]

Why does everyone always come back to greed? Look at the capital employed by the Big Oil companies and then look to see what their profit is a % capital. Then do the same thing for Microsoft, or any number of other companies. Big oil makes significantly less percentage wise than hundreds of other companies, but no one complains about how greedy Microsoft is. Yeah, I know you have a choice when it comes to spending money on a Microsoft product but gas is something you need everyday. But in the world we live in who doesn't own or use something from Microsoft every day of their lives. How did you get here (here being this posting board). Internet Explorer maybe? A Microsoft product, that someone paid for.

It is very interesting. The energy sector (which oil companies are included) generally have profit margins between 10-12%. That's not outrageously big.

I think it's because gasoline effects us so immediately. I also think because it's easy to blame the "Big, bad oil companies" then to figure out a long term solution to our energy consumption issues.

I also think though that as Americans we have a bit of an "entitlement" mindset. Some one else here kind of coined the phrase "Walmart mentality".

for some reason we feel we should be able to get every thing we want at the cheapest, lowest price all the time. We feel we should be able to fly on vacation for $9.99 and then complain about airline fees. Even while the airlines are telling us time and time again, they cannot make a profit. We should be able to get as much gas as we want cheaply, even though we use 10X's as much as we produce and most of the oil producing countries are not all that hot on us. but yet, they should do us a big ole favor and sell it to us cheap.

 

[rie'smom]

Here's a good tool for finding the lowest gas prices in your area, just type in your zip code:
http://gasprices.mapquest.com/

There is a 12 cent difference between stations in our area. That adds up.

 

[drag n' fly]

We pay 4.08 a gallon. It is due to oil shooting up in price again.

 

[BellvilleDad]

I can appreciate that some of you disagree with my opinion of the reason for the gas price increases. That's why living here is great; you have your ideas and I have mine. I was simply expressing my beliefs about the reason. And you are equally free to continue trying to "shout me down" as uneducated in the matter.

 

[PaulaSB12]

£1.22 per litre

 

[brerrabbit]

Another way to look at gas prices is this. It is estimated that roughly 75% of the worlds oil is owned by nationalized oil companies. In otherwords the reality is that Shell, Exxon, Chevron and BP don't set the price of crude nor do they own most of it. Countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Oman, etc own the oil. They contract big oil to produce it and drill the wells, but then they sell it to the open market. Now take a barrel of oil in the middle east at $90 a barrel. Pipe it to the Gulf, load it on a oil tanker, ship it to the US Gulf Coast, pump it to a refinery, crack it, process it, make from that one barrel, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, lube oils, heavy oils, bitumin, pet coke, etc. Split those things up and ship them via pipeline, truck, barge, and tanker to where they each need to go. In the case of gasoline pipeline it to a terminal for distribution by truck to your local gas station. Ship in via rail or truck ethanol from somewhere, in most cases the midwest to the same terminal. Store the products until a truck shows up to load. Blend the gas with the ethanol and then inject an EPA mandated additive and load it on the truck. Keep in mind that the tanks and equipment to do this are not cheap and come with a ton of EPA, and local regulations as to how to operate them, prevent potential fire, pass code and keep them operating. Then a truck takes it to your gas station and drops it in the tank. There someone has invested in buying the land, building the gas station and running an operation that once again is highly regulated by state and local government. They then sell that gas for $3.00 a gallon. Of that take .40 right of the top because the federal government takes .194 tax and state govenments take another .20 and in some cases up to .26. That means that that $90 barrel of oil in the Saudi desert was worth $2.143 a gallon coming through the well head and you just bought it for $2.60 a gallon excluding taxes. Thats a 21.33% markup to cover all those expenses, all profits, and all returns on equity for the billions and billions of dollars that have been invested.

I find that pretty amazing myself, while others just see it as Big Oil just sticking it to the consumer.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

Here in Michigan I paid $3.19 for regular 87 grade on Monday.

I accept that the cost is going to go up - I hate it but I accept it. I drive a long way to work 42 miles 1 way and I get decent gas mileage on my mini van (23-24mpg) but it sure hurts the pocket book!

My dh on the other had drives further than me and my 16 yr old son just totaled my dh's economy car that got 32mpg - we cannot replace it due to the circumstances of it getting totaled. My dh has to drive his big diesel guzzling truck - that hurts to fill up $140.00 a wk plus my $65 a wk so we are paying right now $800 a month in fuel to drive to work and home. That's alotta dough $$$$!!!!!

 

[brerrabbit]

I can appreciate that some of you disagree with my opinion of the reason for the gas price increases. That's why living here is great; you have your ideas and I have mine. I was simply expressing my beliefs about the reason. And you are equally free to continue trying to "shout me down" as uneducated in the matter.

Not trying for one minute to shout you down, just pointing out the fact that most people do not understand the economics of oil. I have in several posts said that much of the price of gas turns on the Federal governments regulations, cost of doing business, enormous cost of capital issues, state and federal gas taxes, and the fact that the majority of the worlds oil is controled by countries, not the oil companies. I have worked in the Oil and Gas industry for 30 years and understand it really well. We have gone through booms and busts and I can assure you when we were losing our shirts and laying people off left and right no one was concerned about how much money big oil was making or not making.

Also understand it could be a lot worse. All the people from other countries posting here and complaining of $6 plus prices per gallon have roughly the same economics for gas and could be pricing near our levels. The difference between our $3 a gallon and their $6 a gallon are all taxes collected by their governments. How would you feel if gas costs were $6 because the Federal government was taxing you $3 a gallon? Who would you be mad at then?

 

[eliza61]

I can appreciate that some of you disagree with my opinion of the reason for the gas price increases. That's why living here is great; you have your ideas and I have mine. I was simply expressing my beliefs about the reason. And you are equally free to continue trying to "shout me down" as uneducated in the matter.

LOL, thanks BD. Unfortunately I've been known to "holler in an uneducated "manner" so we're probably a good match.

I think overall, one habit we have to get rid of is this "single bullet" mentality we tend to have. You know how when you have a problem at home, you and your dh kinda get together and discuss ways to fix it? We don't do that anymore on a big level and I think we use to. Health care, terrorism, cost of living, etc, etc are huge problems so I don't think simply saying 'corporate greed" is right. Of course it could also be that my dh works in the industry so I'm probably really sensitive when they get blamed.

It's like all the finger pointing surrounding the Arizona shootings. Was it caused by lack of help for mental illness, easy access to guns, political hate speech ran amok? None of those things in and of themselves caused that carnage. I think gas company profits in and of themselves are negiligable (sp). If every oil company cut it's profit margins to the bare minimum necessary to stay afloat, we'd still have rising gas prices.

 

[eliza61]

Another way to look at gas prices is this. It is estimated that roughly 75% of the worlds oil is owned by nationalized oil companies. In otherwords the reality is that Shell, Exxon, Chevron and BP don't set the price of crude nor do they own most of it. Countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Oman, etc own the oil. They contract big oil to produce it and drill the wells, but then they sell it to the open market. Now take a barrel of oil in the middle east at $90 a barrel. Pipe it to the Gulf, load it on a oil tanker, ship it to the US Gulf Coast, pump it to a refinery, crack it, process it, make from that one barrel, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, lube oils, heavy oils, bitumin, pet coke, etc. Split those things up and ship them via pipeline, truck, barge, and tanker to where they each need to go. In the case of gasoline pipeline it to a terminal for distribution by truck to your local gas station. Ship in via rail or truck ethanol from somewhere, in most cases the midwest to the same terminal. Store the products until a truck shows up to load. Blend the gas with the ethanol and then inject an EPA mandated additive and load it on the truck. Keep in mind that the tanks and equipment to do this are not cheap and come with a ton of EPA, and local regulations as to how to operate them, prevent potential fire, pass code and keep them operating. Then a truck takes it to your gas station and drops it in the tank.
I find that pretty amazing myself, while others just see it as Big Oil just sticking it to the consumer.

Now throw in the fact that,
1) Venezuela has Chavez, who delights in telling us on a routine basis how much he hates us.
2) Saudi Arabi and Oman are arab countries who's relationship with us could be described as "lukewarm" at best.
3) Mexico is grappling with corruption and a growing backlash from our border states.

All this makes wall street speculators nuts so on any given day you can have them playing with the market depending on the news reports.

 

[BellvilleDad]

LOL, thanks BD. Unfortunately I've been known to "holler in an uneducated "manner" so we're probably a good match.

I think overall, one habit we have to get rid of is this "single bullet" mentality we tend to have. You know how when you have a problem at home, you and your dh kinda get together and discuss ways to fix it? We don't do that anymore on a big level and I think we use to. Health care, terrorism, cost of living, etc, etc are huge problems so I don't think simply saying 'corporate greed" is right. Of course it could also be that my dh works in the industry so I'm probably really sensitive when they get blamed.

It's like all the finger pointing surrounding the Arizona shootings. Was it caused by lack of help for mental illness, easy access to guns, political hate speech ran amok? None of those things in and of themselves caused that carnage. I think gas company profits in and of themselves are negiligable (sp). If every oil company cut it's profit margins to the bare minimum necessary to stay afloat, we'd still have rising gas prices.

Great points. Thanks for understanding! I'll put more effort into trying to see all sides of it, too.

 

[momrek06]

January 18, 2011

Ugh, as I mentioned up thread in San Diego we are paying 3.49-3.69 for reg - plus - premium. And the prices are pretty steady. Not changing at all.

My DH does allot of engineering design work at Camp Pendleton, so he is allowed on the base anytime at all. We drove over there on Saturday and decided to check out their gas prices and surprisingly, they are not a huge savings at all. $3.29 for regular.


Ok, DISer's, how is in your 'neck of the woods' ????

 

[Jennasis]

Here in mid-NC it's currently at $3.01

 

[jackemail]

$3.09 for plus today-

 

[kinntj]

$3.19 at our local stations in MId Michigan. I made sure when I dropped my DD off at gymnastics, that I went to the supermarket down the street, so I wouldn't have to make a special trip.

We are once again watching how many trips we make. We got lazy in that area when prices went down, so we are now watching that area.

 

[eliza61]

We're still hanging in there under 3 bucks. $2.93 gallon in South Jersey.

 

[klacey1]

A healthy $3.45 in a suburb of NYC

 

[JessicaR]

3.29 at a Gulf station this morning and I am excited! Paid 3.59 last week at a Mobil. Long Island, NY