Gas prices soar to $6 in Atlanta

[truth]

It's only going to get worse. The reality of the damage to gulf oil infrastructure is just begining to leak out.

[AntiSoCalSkier]

OK, so there's something about gas prices that I don't get.

No matter how incredibly out of control prices get, the difference in price between the different grades of gas is always exactly 10 cents (OK, not entirely true, I have seen stations that don't follow this rule, but the majority do). Should the difference increase as the price of gas increases?

For example, if regular gas is $1, mid-grade is $1.10 and premium is $1.20, then gas prices go up 200% such that regular gas $3, you would expect the mid-grade to be $3.30, and the premium to be $3.60. This is clearly not the case.

Is octane some sort of additive type substance that has a price unrelated to the price of gas?

Also, as the price of gas goes up, premium becomes more affordable (in a relative sense), so those of us with high-compression engines are actually getting a better deal (in a sick and twisted sort of way).

[Big E]

Diesel went up 30 cents yesterday at what was, formerly, a cheap place to get it. Found another place (I was just driving by, not like some people that will drive around for hours to find cheaper gas) that had it for "only" $2.71, so I filled up. Regular was right at $2.99. Nice to finally have diesel back down where it should be, cheaper than gas.

Curious, do any of you diesel guys see the same huge disparity in the price of diesel in your area? A couple years ago, about 5 miles apart on the same road, I saw diesel for $1.89 at one station and $1.39 at another. Regular gas was roughly the same at both.

[snowsprite]

Guess who's about to embark on a 2,500mi road trip begining tomorrow morning?

Doh!

That certain someone's gigolo skills better be up to snuff b/c he's gonna need them to support said road trip!



Sprite

[kailas]

Just what Americans need a reality check, especially with the hugh gas
guzzeling SUV you see all the Texans driving here in CO. We should have
been making fuel effiecient cars since the last oil crunch, but no Americans
decided to create the Hummer. God help us.

[Nohillsnearby]

Haven't heard a word about any states - or the fed - dropping their taxes on gas, though, have we?

There's rumblings here. But "My Man Mitch":::gag,hurl::: doesn't want to hurt the IN state budget.

[homerjay]

What intrigues (and angers) me is the correlation between the cost of gasoline, the cost of oil per barrel, and also the profit margins of the large oil companies. I seriously hope this crisis hits them the hardest. I recall the last time (a summer or two ago) gas prices were going up, the oil companies had record profits.

Let's hope that they use some of those record profits to rebuild their infrastructure. Unfortunately, it would seem with the huge jump in prices, we'll be paying for it.

[peterslovo]

Found another place (I was just driving by, not like some people that will drive around for hours to find cheaper gas) that had it for "only" $2.71, so I filled up. Regular was right at $2.99. Nice to finally have diesel back down where it should be, cheaper than gas.

Heard that! I mean shit, diesel is much less refined than regular - it shouldn't cost more.

But I do think it's about time to buy the greasecar/greasel kit and convert to run veggie oil...I've been putting that off and now the initial cost of the kit doesn't seem so bad!

[grrrr]

Wow, we're lagging behind the curve at 3.48 for regular today.

On the other hand, Sunoco is now up 9.98 over the opening bell yesterday. Had you bought 1000 shares at lunchtime yesterday when I posted, you would now be over $8000 richer.

One thing to remember about "big oil corporations" as with other corporations is that they are not only an entity, but also an investment by a lot of people. The profits in this case are not the decision of the entity, but of the market.

[LIP]

What intrigues (and angers) me is the correlation between the cost of gasoline, the cost of oil per barrel, and also the profit margins of the large oil companies. I seriously hope this crisis hits them the hardest. I recall the last time (a summer or two ago) gas prices were going up, the oil companies had record profits.

Let's hope that they use some of those record profits to rebuild their infrastructure. Unfortunately, it would seem with the huge jump in prices, we'll be paying for it.

Prices will come down, but not back to what they were. Once we're used to paying 4/gal. we'll feel good when it drops to 3, and the oil companies profits are going to skyrocket because of it. Soooooo glad I bought a Civic last year. 38 mpg!!

[assgasorgrass]

OK, so there's something about gas prices that I don't get.

No matter how incredibly out of control prices get, the difference in price between the different grades of gas is always exactly 10 cents (OK, not entirely true, I have seen stations that don't follow this rule, but the majority do). Should the difference increase as the price of gas increases?

For example, if regular gas is $1, mid-grade is $1.10 and premium is $1.20, then gas prices go up 200% such that regular gas $3, you would expect the mid-grade to be $3.30, and the premium to be $3.60. This is clearly not the case.

Is octane some sort of additive type substance that has a price unrelated to the price of gas?

Also, as the price of gas goes up, premium becomes more affordable (in a relative sense), so those of us with high-compression engines are actually getting a better deal (in a sick and twisted sort of way).

Well, the midgrade is blended at the pump and is a ratio of regular and premium, so depending on the ratio needed to achieve the desired octane rating would drive the price of the fuel.

[P.A.K. MAN]

Yea, that high as hell. It actually hit $5.45 here in Sun Valley