Energy, Energy Service, Natural Gas &amp; Oil Sectors

Top 68. Mar 27, 1999 7:02 PM

» RandeS - Saw $1.

Saw $1.65 regular at a Shell this morning, though Arco had regular for $1.51. May be some more increases ahead, but expect we'll see it back to $1.35 or better in the Bay Area by fall.

-- posted by RandeS

Top 69. Mar 27, 1999 10:05 PM

» matttheduck - portland gas prices

to hold up my end, i paid $1.319 this am at a suburban portland, oregon station. prices are up about $0.35 in the past month or so.

-- posted by matttheduck

Top 70. Mar 28, 1999 7:16 AM

» RandeS - The problem everywhere (only more so in the Bay Area) is PRICE G

The problem everywhere (only more so in the Bay Area) is PRICE GOUGING. How can the price go up $.50 per gallon in a matter of hours (as it's done) when the same gas is in the underground tank, bought at the same price, as before (not to mention the shipments coming in for the next few months that were probably bought on the futures market, not at the spot price)? This is greed and opportunism at the public's expense, pure and simple. If a store owner hiked the prices of flashlight batteries, water, or food during an earthquake he would be prosecuted. But Big Oil gets away with it. I've said it before -- if the federal government really wants to help it should leave MSFT alone and prosecute the real criminals.

-- posted by RandeS

Top 71. Mar 28, 1999 10:45 AM

» DennisL - Gasoline Price Gouging

Perfectly stated, Rande.

When will there be a public outcry? When gasoline passes $2.00/gallon?

Why doesn't the Justice Dept. go after the real monopolists and leave the likes of Microsoft and Intel alone?

-- posted by DennisL

Top 72. Mar 29, 1999 6:41 AM

» RandeS - We've got email -- how about sending off a few notes to Congres

We've got email -- how about sending off a few notes to Congresspersons and State Legislators, etc. I'm doing it. The oil companies are lying and gouging. Take the Tosco refinery incident, for example. Tosco has three or four other West Coast refineries that were operating at less than 50% capacity. They'll say that it takes a long time to ramp up production to make up for the closure of the Richmond refinery, but it's utter BS. But, when prices rise by the hour when gas in the ground already purchased still costs the station owners the same as it did the day before, there's something wrong. Now that BP has its sights on the last major discounter, Arco, the time is perfect to raise some awareness in Congress and Sacramento.

-- posted by RandeS

Top 73. Mar 30, 1999 11:12 PM

» DennisL - Gasoline Price Update

Gas is up four cents/gallon at Tower Mart today. Yesterday, a saw an off-brand station in a neighboring community selling premium for $2.08/gallon.

-- posted by DennisL

Top 74. Mar 31, 1999 9:29 AM

» Hugs - crude oil prices

copied this off another board:

"Crude exploding upward- up .18 at $16.98.
Screw the shorts."

Don't mind saying my oil puppy is growing a nice set of teeth. Did I mention he likes to hunt oil bears?

-- posted by Hugs

Top 75. Mar 31, 1999 9:23 PM

» Happy - Rande,

Rande,

God, I hate to defend the oil companies but as a free market advocate and past refinery engineer, I must say:

Many private gasoline stations have to refill their tanks every couple of days. If they know they will have to pay a higher price for the next load, of course, they will raise the price now instead of after the next delivery.

If they didn't raise the price now, where would they get the money to pay for the next higher priced load.

-- posted by Happy

Top 76. Apr 1, 1999 6:17 AM

» RandeS - Norm,

Norm,

Sorry, but I don't agree. Firstly, the majority of stations are company-owned. Also, as the gas comes in at higher prices they could raise the price accordingly. Problem is, again, that the producers are calling the shots. I'm all for the free-enterprise system too and the less government the better, in my opinion. Insatiable greed sometimes leads the "invisible hand" of capitalism to grab people by the throat (or more delicate places), and some oversight is in order. This is price gouging, pure and simple.

-- posted by RandeS