Gas & fuel prices

[g1g]

When the barrel price of crude goes up I always see the the price of gas go up but sometimes I see diesel stays the same and goes up at different times. It is just strange as they both come from the same crude. Is this a local thing? Does this happen in other parts of the country?

[julievojo]

It's all over the place. The price of regular gas and diesel go back and forth with no apparent relation to each other! Diesel is "down" a bit locally, I saw it priced from $4.49 up to $4.68 yesterday driving from Minneapolis to Rochester MN. It was $4.98 last week.

[paulm]

A few years ago diesel was 10 cents a liter cheaper then gas, now it's 10 cents a liter higher. Pretty consistent though gas goes up, diesel goes up. $1.25/1.35 a liter here.

My natural gas is still at 67 cents a liter equivelent.

[renrut]

Diesel costs a lot less to manufacture than gasoline. That's why it was always cheaper then gas years ago. Now, the oil companies are out to make as much profit as they can. Since everything is shipped by transport trucks, they make more money by raising the price of diesel. Also, a lot of cars are going diesel. Higher price, more profits.

I think it's funny how people keep blaming the government for gas taxes. With oil companies making billions of dollars in profits, who should be lowing the prices?

[markopolo]

Sorry to go off topic here - but welcome back from your journey overseas Renrut.

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Back on topic - I haven't noticed if the price of gas and diesel change at the same or different times here.

I read this report on CNN today:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/08/news/ec ... /index.htm

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Gasoline rose to a milestone mark Sunday as the national average compiled by motorist group AAA reached $4 a gallon for the first time.

The average price is $4 a gallon or more in 14 states and the District of Columbia, according to the survey. California pays the most for gasoline, averaging $4.436, with Alaska and Connecticut both at $4.296. Other states above $4 are Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and West Virginia.

Missouri has the lowest average price at $3.802, followed by South Carolina at $3.809.

The price of diesel fuel, used by truckers hauling goods across the country, rose 0.8 cent to $4.762 a gallon. That's 3 cents below the all-time high set May 30.

In Canada:

http://www.mjervin.com/WPPS_Public.htm

Regular (national average) $1.311 litre x 3.785(L to gal) = CDN $4.96 per US Gallon.

Diesel (national average) $1.432 litre x 3.785(L to gal) = CDN $5.42 per US Gallon.

[VernM]

Incustry's excuse for the disparity in diesel going above gasoline is/was the need to re-blend to meet government mandates on sulfer content and emissions.

I've just finished 2000 miles to far west Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and back to Arkansas. Most expensive fuel was at Amarillo at $3.999. Least expensive was on the Will Rogers Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Tulsa at $3.699. It was Phillips, Oklahoma's home state brand.

[markopolo]

Here's a few jokes so that we can at least have a laugh about it