Diesel fuel prices DOWN, going lower?

[RustyJC]

It happens every spring after heating oil season is winding down. Supply and actual or anticipated demand at work.

Rusty

[IMDSailor]

1.31/ltr in Nova Scotia
= $4.97/ US Gal (Exchange rate not factored in)
or $5.95/ Imp Gal

Diesel is a couple of cents cheaper than gas here.

[Fred1609]

Strangely enough the oil company's claim that summer gas is more expensive to produce and that is one reason for an increase. I go with greedy speculators and not so smart government beurocrats push in a green agenda

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by Fred1609

Strangely enough the oil company's claim that summer gas is more expensive to produce and that is one reason for an increase.

Ummm.....do you understand Reid Vapor Pressure? The EPA requires summer gasoline to have significantly lower RVPs in order to minimize volatile emissions. This requires additional refining to remove the lighter volatile ends.

None of which has anything to do with the price of diesel fuel, the subject of this thread.

Rusty

[Fred1609]

Nope don't understand a thing about reid vapour pressure. My point being that if a reason is made for gas going up is because of a required change in an additive in gas its likely that there is to be some random reason for driving the price of diesel is not far behind.

[RustyJC]

"Summer gasoline" and botique fuel requirements for different geographical areas are nothing new. These regulations have been around for years and drive up the cost of refining, storage and distribution of fuel as well as fuel availability. For instance, gasoline that's refined for Odessa, TX cannot be sent to Los Angeles, CA in case of a supply disruption in California because the Texas gasoline does not meet the LA Basin fuel requirements.

None of which has anything to do with the price of diesel fuel.

Rusty

[doc]

$3.54 at the QuikTrip exit 21 in S Carolina just north of Georgia. Best I have seen lately.

[Clayobx]

Was $3.99 now $4.09 in the FL. Panhandle!

[CampDaven]

And there is nothing we can do about it.

I only worry about things I can do something about.

[SeattlePirat]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

"Summer gasoline" and botique fuel requirements for different geographical areas are nothing new. These regulations have been around for years and drive up the cost of refining, storage and distribution of fuel as well as fuel availability. For instance, gasoline that's refined for Odessa, TX cannot be sent to Los Angeles, CA in case of a supply disruption in California because the Texas gasoline does not meet the LA Basin fuel requirements.

None of which has anything to do with the price of diesel fuel.

Rusty

This has nothing or little to do with the price of diesel or gas. The real problem is the morons that live in DC let the gas companies evolve into geograhical monopolies and merge to the point of too big to manage.

There is no incentive to lower prices.

The biggest cause of high oil prices today is the 4 trillion dollars in debt that was added to rid ourselves of the great recession. When you print up money, you have inflation. The middle east is not going to take devalued dollars for a barrel of oil without raising prices.

Last thing is the oil companies export diesel to Europe to keep the demand high, and prices high.

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by SeattlePirat

This has nothing or little to do with the price of diesel or gas. The real problem is the morons that live in DC let the gas companies evolve into geograhical monopolies and merge to the point of too big to manage.

There is no incentive to lower prices.

Refined fuel prices reflect market movements where these fuels are traded - the New York Merchantile Exchange is one of America's largest energy commodity markets. Using your rationale, fuel prices would never drop. The fact is, fuel prices dropped dramatically during the economic crisis of 2008 as fuel demand fell. HERE is a website where one can follow market prices for oil and refined products.

Originally Posted by SeattlePirat

The biggest cause of high oil prices today is the 4 trillion dollars in debt that was added to rid ourselves of the great recession. When you print up money, you have inflation. The middle east is not going to take devalued dollars for a barrel of oil without raising prices.

De facto devaluation of the U.S. dollar affects all imports, unless the seller is willing to absorb the currency fluctuation losses. It certainly impacts the worldwide oil market that historically has traded in U.S. dollars.

Originally Posted by SeattlePirat

Last thing is the oil companies export diesel to Europe to keep the demand high, and prices high.

Let's tell the whole story. Looking just at one market (i.e., ignoring India and China), we export diesel fuel to the European Union countries because 50% or more of the European vehicles sold recently are diesel-fueled. The EU promotes the use of diesel because the vehicles are more economical and, therefore, more greenhouse gas friendly (lower carbon emissions). The EU members generally tax diesel at a lower rate than gasoline, which drives demand for diesel in Europe.

Conversely, the U.S. EPA concentrates on particulates and NOx precursors, and is therefore anti-diesel in its regulations. Diesel is also taxed at a higher rate than gasoline in the U.S. This drives gasoline demand in the U.S. and decreases the relative demand for diesel.

Given the refining splits of a barrel of oil, U.S. refiners have an overabundance of diesel and a shortage of gasoline for the U.S. market. Therefore, they ship diesel to the EU and ship gasoline from the EU refiners back to the U.S.

Petroleum products are part of a global marketplace. They will flow to regions of higher demand. That's a fact of life.

Rusty

[jland]

Lovely.....it costs me $20 per day to commute to work in my diesel truck....just paid $3.87 to fill up in North Jersey it just came down recently from around $4.05 I see more and more people burning wood to heat their homes .....pretty soon they will start taxing firewood ....I can only laugh

[flaggship1]

As Campdaven and I have said there is nothing that we can do about the global market or price of fuel. The fact is - our options are drive less, move to a more fuel efficient vehicle, or pay the price. Trying to explain it, or your thoughts about it have no impact expect to exercise the mind or blow off a little steam. Both of which are fine, but not worth much time.

Having said that.... A mental exercise. When I pumped gas as a kid in 1973, regular gas was 0.29 cents a gallon or less. Toady for the sake of argument it's $4.00. That's a 1,279% increase if my Sunday morning calculator is working.

In 1973 a new Mustang sold for $2,400. Today a new Mustang will run you about $54,000. Again, if my calculator is working that's a 2,150% change.

Yes there are differences between the fuel and vehicles today, but US fuel prices vs cars, homes, and boats have faired fairly well over time. When we look at the price of things today we only see part of the picture. Sugar, farm and other subsidies have kept some prices artificially low, regulations have moved some prices higher. It's just the nature of the beast. The sad truth is, nobody wants their own subsidy cut and when cut nobody wants to make up the difference at the register. The best plan of action is to live within your means and save and invest for the future. That's my story and I'm stickin with it.

[PlayItForwrd]

Here in the Salt Lake area, we have several refineries, most are less than 20 miles from where I'm sitting. Most of the oil they refine comes from less than 150 miles away (Wyoming). Because of our altitude, we supposedly don't need "B" grade gas, so our regular is 87 octane, premium is 91. And every August for some reason, gas prices in Utah become the highest in the country. Haven't quite figured that one out.

But back to the topic at hand, I filled up the green monster yesterday for $3.52 at Chevron. Could've driven 30 miles and got it a dime cheaper but the trip woulda eat up the savings!


And my final 2 cents on the oil companies (and even a few others such as Home Depot f'rinstance...) -- if you're making 3 billion dollars a month in profit, you're charging too much for your product.

(flame suit on)