Gas prices are steadily rising now.....in my area, they have gone up (roughly) 10 cents a week now for last couple of weeks. Hard to figure out why, as the are are no current extreme crises in the Middle East, no major disruptions in the world supply, no huge increase in demand lately, and no disasters in the industry like the BP Oil rig fire/spill or the Exxon Valdez/Tanker incident. The only thing I can think of is that we're coming out of the winter season (when after the December Holiday Season, driving is typically at a minimum) into early spring, where at least some driving picks up and there is a moderate increase in demand for gas. The recent troubles in Venezuela with the Maduro regime and its opposition, and any (possible) effects on production from the country's large Lake Maracaibo deposits, could also be a factor on world prices, although it should not affect U.S. prices. Typically we do not purchase Venezuelan oil...it is currently being boycotted by many nations that do not recognize the madurai regime. In addition to that, American oil production has become much more self-sufficient in recent years.

 

 

 

This time of year, though, demand, while sometimes going up mildly after the post-Holiday minimum, usually does not rise sharply like in June, when school lets out and millions of families hit the road for vacations. What I tend to suspect, at least to some extent, is oil-speculators bidding up the price of crude because they think a Venezuelan civil war is coming, even though that (should not) be affecting prices in the U.S., as we are mostly self-sufficient.

 

That's significantly higher on the West Coast, where you are, than in my area (D.C. suburbs), where 87 octane, now, is averaging from $2.35 to about $2.70 a gallon, which is up significantly from around $2.19 to $2.39 just a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps they are using different blends in your area, or it has higher gas-taxes than here....California gas, in particular, tends to be notoriously expensive.

 

Geez, that's ridiculous. About $2.25 here in MA.

 

 

It's been slowly climbing here in L.A. I think we are up to $3.79 for premium. I'm just waiting with popcorn to see what happens when the next big spike comes and people stop buying SUV's. Sedan's and hybrids anyone? Oh wait, GM and Ford won't have much to offer... Doh!

 

its spring break

Barrel of oil is only up about $5 over last month, which is about 12 cents a gallon price difference

 

I watch all this stuff, also toll roads etc. because of my dad. He used to track mpgs, gas prices, tolls, so funny how this stuff is passed along.

Have 2 cars that use premium so I've always felt second class where there are so many stations which charge 50-80 cents more for premium. The only way I have been able to level the playing field is Costco and BJs, with Costco being top tier. Costco is never a rip off, so that's how I ease my mind.

Over this weekend since we were in DE and the LS was running low, I filled premium at 2.599. That's a solid 15 cents cheaper than NJ.

Me I wouldn't want to live in DE just not practical, but man are there benefits such as cheap gas and no sales tax. Especially after the scotus looked at SD v. Wayfair, it seems to be almost every etailer now charges sales tax in every state that has it. PA was way out ahead lol we were already used to it. Imagine getting all your stuff still tax free in 2019 in what DE, NH, OR (I think?)?

 

I'm surprised it isnt going up more with the brutal winter, the cold and snow literally from the West to the East coast.

 

As you probably know, the limited geographical market for California's CARB-regulated gasoline blends make them less cost-effective for the oil companies....that's one reason why gas is more expensive in the state. Also, of course, are California's business, sales, and fuel-taxes. I suspect (but don't know for a fact) that the state uses part of the revenue from those high gas taxes to fund its well-known infrastructure system for alternate-fuel vehicles....something that is lacking in most other states.

I might (?) share some of that popcorn with you....but hold the salt and butter.

 

Interesting thought, but cold winters usually affect the price of heating oil for homes and businesses more than gasoline. Extremely cold weather often prevents as much driving and demand for gasoline.....for one thing, a lot of batteries die and/or engines won't start. Snowstorms and slick roads, of course, often mean more accidents and fender-benders....which means that vehicles are spending their time in the body shops, rather than out on the road burning gas.

 

In my area (NW Chicago suburbs), I paid exactly $1.00 more/gallon for premium ($3.33) this past weekend than I did two months ago. But I actually paid 10 cents less for diesel ($2.90) than I did two months ago.

This is typical though. Minimum prices for gasoline tend to be less than minimums for diesel, but diesel prices are WAY less volatile--$2.80-$3.30 have been the extremes over the past year. Gasoline can vary by nearly that much from one fill-up to the next, and has varied by nearly $2 since September (between $2.35 and $4.00).

 

Hybrid drivers have been waiting 19 years now to see some return on their expense. Maybe in our lifetimes that will happen. Besides abusing car pool lanes with single occupant vehicles (SOV to the HOV), they've likely reaped few rewards...