Gas Prices: How high can they go?

Jesus Freak · Post by **Jesus Freak** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 10:28 pm

I've heard about prices going up past $3 during summer. Exactly how high will prices go, and what are we going to do to alleviate the problem?

As for me, this is one darn good reason not to own a car and drive to school... I guess public transportation is a good thing.

Zoop! · Post by **Zoop!** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:45 pm

I think $3 is pushing it for quite a few years, unless something extremely bad happened. Unfortunantely, there isn't much to do about the problem. I believe that more oil can be pumped out, but it's starting to become more of a supply/demand issue. As more people need oil, the price goes up. There are a lot of country's with great economies improving every year, like China and Taiwan. But I'm no economics expert.

Public transportation is good for this reason. But there is a negative, perceived attitude of anything public transportation, so people might not be so willing.

dissent · Post by **dissent** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:19 am

My understanding is that the Far East, especially China, economies are increasing their demand for petroleum, so the existing supply side gets squeezed and prices go up. I'd expect the see sales of hybrid cars go up and hopefully their prices will come down as (and if) the carmakers see the light. Same thing happened when the price spiked in the mid 70's. Boy, I hope I don't have to wait in any more lines like there were back then.

roid · Post by **roid** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:06 am

if my maths is right. you guys are almost paying as much as we pay here in OZ.

you are paying the equivalent of $1.04AU/litre
we are currently paying $1.07AU/litres edit: FOR DIESEL, OOPS.
we are paying about $0.98AU/litre for petrol.

so you guys are paying a bit more than us here in OZ.

the difference being that you guys in the USA have way more disposable income, and i havn't factored that in. so it's still not really a good comparison coz the dollar is all screwed if i don't compare it to disposable/average income.

mobi's good with this kinda stuff.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:44 am

We are paying 88cents/litre. In Montreal, they are paying 95cents/litre.

Nirvana · Post by **Nirvana** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:25 am

I think our gas here in Silicon Valley was around $2.85 - $2.95 for the high grade at one point a few months back... Right now it's around $2.55, I believe

Merlin, is that in Canadian $?

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:30 am

Yes that is in CDN $$. 3.8 litres per gallon. Approx 1.80$ CDN is $1.00 US.

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:46 pm

$5 should be easily possible -- it's ~$6 in germany right now.

Vindicator · Post by **Vindicator** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:11 pm

Well now that the 3rd largest oil refinery in the US has gone up in smoke (link), I dont expect to see prices falling anytime soon.

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:14 pm

The oil tycoons must be jumping for joy at how high theyve managed to push prices here.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:32 pm

I heard today that since Bush cna't get oil from the mid east he's trying hard to get Canada to accept a free trade for oil from us. But then he puts tariffs on our softwood lumber? Like WTF.

They say oil prices here will reach $1 CDN a litre, that's just nuts. Also, the price goes up on weekends and during the day. I've never seen price fixing any worse than in gas pricing.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:05 am

Right now, it's about $2.2 US /gal here in Atlanta for low grade.

Admiral LSD · Post by **Admiral LSD** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:42 am

roid wrote:we are currently paying $1.07AU/litres edit: FOR DIESEL, OOPS.

Diesel pricing here is just ridiculous. It's more expensive than regular petrol yet is less refined. WTF?!?!

LPG's a good option but it costs something like AUD$2k to convert a car over and you won't recoup that on the savings for a couple of years. Not only that, they're going to start releasing the tax benefits so it's going to skyrocket. Complete bull★■◆● seeing as there's bajillions of tonnes of this ★■◆● off our north-west coast and we sell it to the japs for something like 5c/litre.

Plebeian · Post by **Plebeian** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 9:07 am

Admiral LSD wrote:Diesel pricing here is just ridiculous. It's more expensive than regular petrol yet is less refined. WTF?!?!

Heh, diesel here in Austin is now often more expensive than premium-grade petrol. If you're lucky, you'll only pay a few more cents per gallon more than mid-grade, but fairly-consistently, it's been around premium's price.

And I doubt they've even switched over to low-sulfur around here yet, and Texas is looking at upping the gas taxes, so that's two more potential price increases looming for us.

What's funny is that the jump in diesel's price (from around the price of regular petrol) was right after my wife bought a Golf TDI.

dissent · Post by **dissent** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:29 pm

Vindicator wrote:Well now that the 3rd largest oil refinery in the US has gone up in smoke ...

Well, not quite. What blew up was an isom unit. Took (only) 2 hours to put out the fire. It's a genuine mess, but the rest of the refinery is still running. Total impact yet to be determined. This refinery produces about 3% of US gasoline supply.

dissent · Post by **dissent** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:37 pm

btw, another prime mover for gasoline pricing has been that little new refining capaciry has been added in recent years, while a bunch of older assets have been retired. As a consequence existing refing assets as running maxed out most of the time. To put up any new refining capacity you're looking at a layout close to a billion dollars, given all the enviro regs, etc. to be dealt with. That's a pretty big investment with a very uncertain and long term payout. Not many companies willing to take that risk.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:03 pm

dissent wrote:That's a pretty big investment with a very uncertain and long term payout. Not many companies willing to take that risk.

Not to mention the NIMBY folks.

snoopy · Post by **snoopy** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:35 pm

Jesus Freak wrote:I guess public transportation is a good thing.

Don't worry, they will pass the effects of increasing gas prices on to you. Septa is getting lots of flak in Philly for trying to jack up their prices... I wouldn't be surprised if most of the public transportation systems in the nation follow suit.

In terms of aleviating the problem, I think the way to go is to convert over to an ethanol system. I, personally, would much rather see fossil fuels completely cut out of the circuit, rather than just trying to use less of it by building hybrids... the way to go would be ethanol hybrid of some sort, if you ask me. And, for a permanent solution, figure out some way of making a fuel cell that will run on something that is remotely easy and cheap to produce. (and doesn't leak out of your tanks) I.E. try to figue some way of producing hydrogen on the spot from something that is easy and cheap to make/store.

Zuruck · Post by **Zuruck** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:22 pm

Well, the gas / oil companies can charge whatever they want and they have no reckoning. It really doesn't matter to me what they explain for the prices, it's all b.s and they can charge whatever they want. We will all pay it, we have to

bash · Post by **bash** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:27 pm

Welcome to the free market, comrade.

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 7:05 pm

Vindicator wrote:Well now that the 3rd largest oil refinery in the US has gone up in smoke (link), I dont expect to see prices falling anytime soon.

Isn't that the third refinary to burn in the last couple of years. You don't think middle eastern....nah, that would never happen here.

roid · Post by **roid** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 7:24 pm

i think they put diesel up when they noticed the trend of people buying diesel cars just for the cheaper fuel. so 2X went the diesel price *zing!*

LordDeath · Post by **LordDeath** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:21 pm

It probably has just as much to do with the declining value of the dollar as it does with the rising cost of oil, if not more so. If the dollar is only worth 70% of what it was 5 years ago, you can only buy 70% as much oil with it... even if the oil prices stay the same.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:01 am

I forsee it hitting four dollars per gallon.

Isn't oil fun?

Kiran · Post by **Kiran** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 8:37 am

I'm in Tenn and we're paying $1.89 a gal currently. That's still not too bad for me considering I drive a honda civics (and I love my car:-P). However, if the prices end up being $3 a gallon... screw driving a car. I'm getting a horse.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:35 am

Kiran wrote: I'm getting a horse.

You are not alone in that consideration

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 6:12 pm

Why am I even bothering to get a driver's license...

$2.19 in NY.

JMEaT · Post by **JMEaT** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:50 am

Here in the Shenandoah Valley, VA we are at 2.09 for 87 grade. >_> (Good thing I have a company vehicle that I get free gas for

)

I'll taxi you around when you're down this way DCrazy.

Fusion pimp · Post by **Fusion pimp** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:12 am

2.69...2.59....2.49 In central Kaliforniastan.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:01 pm

$2.19 is not bad considering this morning I had to fill up at $2.47. I only filled it up when it got to $20 though.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:40 pm

JMeat, get over here and pick me up, I'm over in New Market right now.

JMEaT · Post by **JMEaT** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:46 pm

DCrazy wrote:JMeat, get over here and pick me up, I'm over in New Market right now.

Wow yer close. You must have drove right by my house!

I'll be by in my huge Dodge Sprinter. It says Sheetz on the side.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 3:19 pm

I probably shoulda been a bit more specific. I'm in New Market, MD. Not New Market, VA. It's about 108 miles away. But hey, it'll give you a chance to enjoy some of that cheap gas! Considering you do work for a gas station and all that.

Back to our regularly scheduled topic.

Kiran · Post by **Kiran** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:01 pm

Erm it's now $2.19 a gallon.
Dangit, this price increase is making me broke. I was doing so much better with paying only $13 to tank my car.
Guess no more delicious french vanilla cappicuno on the way to school.

Stryker · Post by **Stryker** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:23 pm

Ga$ Co$t$ too much. At some point hybrid cars will become worth their purchase price for the gas savings, and people will start buying them.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:32 pm

Stryker wrote:Ga$ Co$t$ too much. At some point hybrid cars will become worth their purchase price for the gas savings, and people will start buying them.

If they didnt look so ghastly sales would go through the roof. These car companies are trying to appease the tree huggers while at the same time saying "please dont buy these, instead get the latest Hummer H2 because you will look cooler in it. It has 2 more MPG than last years model!"

Beowulf · Post by **Beowulf** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:39 pm

$2.19 in St. Louis.

Whoo price gouging!

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:52 pm

Clutch ain't going to be able to fire up his mill as gas here in Michigan hit 2.34.

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:10 pm

Kiran wrote:I'm in Tenn and we're paying $1.89 a gal currently. That's still not too bad for me considering I drive a honda civics (and I love my car:-P). However, if the prices end up being $3 a gallon... screw driving a car. I'm getting a horse.

I don't know what part of TN you live in, but on the western part of the state its $2.29 on average for 87 grade and 2.45 for diesel.

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:43 pm

Average in Huntsville AL is around 2.29 for 87 Octane. I have seen it as low as 2.19

Gas Prices: How high can they go?

Gas Prices: How high can they go?

Re: Gas Prices: How high can they go?