What are you Paying for Gasoline? Petrol Prices Around the World

[Marc]

Energy Prices in General

Paying $2.79 in Boise ID, at Costco. I really really hope this nudges the car makers toward smaller vehicles and eventually away from fossil fuels.
What I think is rediculous is that the Fed increases the lending rates even though we know inflation is being caused by fuel increases. I work one hour extra a week to pay for my added fuel costs which is then passing that cost onto my employer, which then is passed on to the consumer....

Gasoline (petrol) is one thing. It's much more widespread than that. It's energy as a whole. My electric rate went up 30% 2 months ago (southern Ohio) and the electric here is all from coal. According to many news sources Russia, with what some argue has the largest undeveloped energy reserves in the world, is effectively eliminating US companies from development / investment. Google and you will find columns like this:

Putin Offers Norway Cooperation in Developing Barents Sea Deposits

17.07.2006 11:05 MSK

On Sunday, July 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed that his country and Norway unite their efforts in developing the Barents Sea natural gas deposit. Barents Sea is home to the giant Shtokman field that Russia’s gas monopoly Gazprom is set to develop in the near future. It also has several major oil fields, but the status of the Arctic shelf remains to be settled.

Speaking at a press conference in Strelna, near St. Petersburg, following the second day of G8 summit, Putin said, quoted by RIA Novosti: “Norwegian companies occupy one of the first positions in this region. They [the Norwegian companies] are not haughty, they work thoroughly and have developed a good infrastructure network in the area. At the same time their oil production is falling.”

And this doesn't address the Middle East situation and the situation in South America.

What my girl friend pays for natural gas has increased at least 30% (I'm almost convinced there's a pattern here...) over the last 1 1/2 years.

My only point is people are not only paying more for gasoline, but for energy in general. As far as the US goes, I predict it will become much worse over the next couple of years. As Al Jolson used to say, "Folks, You ain't seen nuthin' yet".

 

[ralphsulser]

Gas was @2.79 gal here Saturday when I filled up.
Our natural gas rates went up 50% after Katrina, and our electric rates went up about 30%. The city sells us the utilities so I am sure the greedy hands of the administration are lining the city coffers to spend on more superficial worthless projects rather than provide needed services. Just call them to do something and you get no response.

 

[Scott Catron]

Just spent 21 of the last 25 days (as of Sunday) away from home visiting family around the country (my family in Iowa & Wisconsin, my wife's in Oregon). Here's what we paid:

All lowest octane (85 at elevation, 87 elsewhere):

Evanston, WY (Maverik, June 29 & July 9): $2.599
Rock Springs, WY (Flying J, June 29): $2.689
Cheyenne, WY (Sinclair, June 30 & July 9): $2.699
North Platte, NE (June 30): $2.999
Omaha, NE (July 1): $2.879
Elk Horn, IA (July 1): $2.699
Cedar Rapids, IA (July 2): $2.769
Janesville, WI (July 5): $2.959
Williamsburg, IA (July 5): $2.859
Lee's Summit, MO (July 6): $2.899
Lawrence, KS (July 7): $2.859
Abilene, KS (July 8): $2.799
Vona, CO (July 8): $2.999
Rawlins, WY (July 9): $2.819
Ogden, UT (Costco, July 14 & 23): $2.709
Boise, ID (Costco, July 15 & 23): $2.799
Pendleton, OR (July 15): $2.979
Salem, OR (Costco, July 17): $2.849
Salem, OR (Costco, July 22): $2.859
Sisters, OR (July 22): $3.029

Total miles driven: 5,449
Total paid for gas: $883.27

 

[sonflowerinwales]

Over here in the UK, it would have cost me about $1040. Recent price hike means diesel is now over £1 a litre.
But what's the alternative when public transport is expensive, unreliable and long winded! Example, commute to work in my car, 45 minutes, or catch the bus, onto a train, and 15 minute walk takes about 1hr 50m. And the first bus is 7.50am, so I get to work late about 9.40am. Bah, humbug!
Paul

 

[Martijn]

okido US, here's your wake up call, with some maths as well ;-)

1 litre = 0.26417203728418464 gallon
1 euro = 1.25 dollar-ish

I pay 1.43 euro/liter, which is a real bargain.

This comes down to 6.77 $/gal

 

[Bill Pflanz]

Just spent 21 of the last 25 days (as of Sunday) away from home visiting family around the country (my family in Iowa & Wisconsin, my wife's in Oregon). Here's what we paid:

Total miles driven: 5,449
Total paid for gas: $883.27

I estimated you probably used about 300 gallons of gasoline. If that is about right than you only got 18 miles to the gallon. A vehicle getting 25 mpg would have used only 218 gallons or 27% less gasoline. If even only half the people in the U.S. reduced their gasoline usage by that much, oil and gasoline prices would fall significantly. It was done once before in the 70's and 80's but it does not appear that $3 gasoline is high enough cost to cause that change. We don't need government mandates or higher taxes but a personal decision to change our habits. Everyone gripes about the cost but so far there are not enough people taking individual action to make a difference. It may take more than $4 per gallon and it will go that high without a change in usage.

Bill Pflanz

 

[Coury Ferguson]

I estimated you probably used about 300 gallons of gasoline. If that is about right than you only got 18 miles to the gallon. A vehicle getting 25 mpg would have used only 218 gallons or 27% less gasoline. If even only half the people in the U.S. reduced their gasoline usage by that much, oil and gasoline prices would fall significantly. It was done once before in the 70's and 80's but it does not appear that $3 gasoline is high enough cost to cause that change. We don't need government mandates or higher taxes but a personal decision to change our habits. Everyone gripes about the cost but so far there are not enough people taking individual action to make a difference. It may take more than $4 per gallon and it will go that high without a change in usage.

Bill Pflanz

Only a statistician would come up with this. Thanks Bill, impressive.

It gets down to Supply and demand. I believe about 2-3 months ago some people in Florida decided to boycott the purchasing of gasoline for a day to see if they could change the cost of gasoline, but as we can see, it didn't help much.

What happen to the $0.169-$0.259 cents a gallon when I was going to school (but wasn't old enough to drive). I know this is dating me but that is ok.

 

[Bill Pflanz]

Only a statistician would come up with this. Thanks Bill, impressive.

And here I thought I was normal and not like those degreed statisticians.

The 16-25 cents is before my time also but not by much. When I learned to drive in 1967, gasoline was leaded (if you have to ask then you are young) and cost $0.33. My summer job paid minimum wage of $1.25 so gasoline was expensive. My first car was a 1964 Impala that was built like a tank and got about the same gasoline mileage.

Here are some other numbers courtesy of the Dept of Energy. The first oil embargo occurred in 1973-74 and gasoline jumped from 39 to 53 cents. I graduated with my chemical engineering degree and started working for an oil company in 1975. In 1976, unleaded gasoline was introduced and cost $0.61. I personally benefited from the oil embargo and tightened environmental laws because of the high demand for refinery engineers. The Iranian crisis of 1979 raised the price to $0.90 and the next oil crisis in 1981 increased it again to $1.38. I was driving a Toyota by then that got 30 miles to the gallon.

The latest reports that I see indicate that we are close to the inflation adjusted price of the early 1980's. I have not seen adjustments for improved gasoline mileage but I bet we are probably still lower on a per mile cost. I drive a truck now and have backslid on mileage.

Bill Pflanz

 

[Scott Catron]

I estimated you probably used about 300 gallons of gasoline. If that is about right than you only got 18 miles to the gallon.

That's probably pretty close, I haven't calculated it yet. We drive a 1998 Mazda MPV, it has 4wd with good clearance for exploring Utah's backcountry, a third row so we can fit in 2 kids and a dog (when we go to Oregon - the dog loves the coast), plus the third row can be removed for extra cargo space when we took back baby things for my brother's family in Iowa - including a saucer, indoor swing and a bouncy seat.

A vehicle getting 25 mpg would have used only 218 gallons or 27% less gasoline.

If anyone knows of a vehicle with 4wd, good clearance, removable third-row seating and gets 25 mpg, I'm all ears. We bought the MVP used in 2002 for $11,000.

I've been looking for something to switch to when the MPV wears out (they don't make this style anymore - the MPVs since 2000 are just mini-vans) but with the criteria needed, I'm not even worried about gas mileage.

For commuting I drive a 1995 Civic that averages about 37 mpg.

 

[Marc]

Gas prices up 30% and oil company profits up 30% - Duh...

Duh... After one year: Gas prices up 30% and oil company profits are up 30%. Congressman looking into it - will get back to us when the check is in the mail...

Spurred by reports that gasoline prices and oil company profits have gone up more than 30 percent from a year ago, Indiana House Democrat Leader B. Patrick Bauer (D-South Bend) today asked Attorney General Steve Carter to investigate the possibility of gas price gouging in Indiana.

In a press release, Bauer said Carter should consider going to Gov. Mitch Daniels to declare a state of emergency in order to give the attorney general added powers to prosecute particularly outrageous examples of gouging. In a letter to Carter, Bauer said his request was spurred by complaints he has received from constituents upset about gas prices that have gone over the $3 per gallon mark in recent days. Gasoline prices and oil company profits have increased more than 30 percent from a year ago, according to reports.

“People are finding it difficult to afford to fill up their vehicles so they can get to and from work,” Bauer said. “It is hard to listen to their concerns, then read newspaper accounts that tell us that the total earnings among the five largest oil companies have gone up more than 30 percent from a year ago.”