Why in the hell is fucking gas up to $4.00 for reg. in Ca.

[busterbrown]

Are the bathrooms fucking flooding in the refineries? How come we always end up paying for it when something fucks up in their world?

[Newsjock]

1. "Maintenance" and "switchover", uh huh

http://www.mercurynews.com/traffic/ci_22467949/gas-prices-rise-again

"It looks bleak," said Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy.com. "Spot prices continue to jump and could rise another 10 to 25 cents a gallon over the next week or two."

... The increases are related to the state's annual switch from winter to summer gas, a blend of fuel used from April to Oct. 31. To prepare for the switch, refineries start drawing down supplies now and complete maintenance upgrades.

... In addition, BP reported a power failure at its Carson refinery near the Los Angeles harbor, the second-largest in California. Although power has been restored, two units at the 266,000-barrel-a-day plant were off line for two days.

And Valero's 78,000-barrel-a-day Wilmington refinery near Los Angeles plans a partial shutdown next week for maintenance.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Just plain intentional poor management

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Well, this morning on our local news, they quoted AAA as saying this time it was due

to an improving economy. That was minutes before they talked about the slight drop in GDP last month.

[Atman]

3. Gas is up at least 20¢ in Connecticut, no discussion

Just a week ago, gasoline was $3.50. Now it's up to $3.75. No reason, no news stories, no nothing. It must be Obama's fault.

[msongs]

4. meanwhile the USA is one of the biggest exporters of gasoline. so much for patriotism in the

oil industry

[brett_jv]

21. That's mainly because we refine oil for other countries and ship it back to them as gas ...

This technically counts as an 'export of gasoline' but it was never meant for 'us', and it wasn't made using 'our' oil.

We also sell a fair bit of gas and diesel to Canada in places near the border where our refineries are a lot closer to the gas stations than any Canadian refinery is.

In fact, what you're bringing up is actually a Bill-O talking point from a few months back (for which he proposed a 'big government' solution, I might add) that's been debunked by a number of experts who say that our high gas prices have very little to do with the volume of our gas 'exports'.

[RKP5637]

26. ... wasn't it said awhile back that the US did not have enough refineries ... the stories on

gas prices always get so convoluted IMO.

[onehandle]

5. Nationalize Energy Companies. nt

[hedgehog]

6. Because people keep buying gasoline no matter the price......

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Crack Prices Go Up, Crackheads Demand Endless Supply of Cheap Crack as Solution to Crack Problem

Because Clearly The Way To Deal With A Crack Addiction Is To Ensure The There's Always Lots Of Cheap Crack Available.

[brett_jv]

22. Well, it is ONE solution ...

I wouldn't make the case for crack since it's SO damaging to the brain and body, but an opiate addiction is mostly problematic because opiates are so expensive (low supply/high demand) and illegal (w/o script).

If people could legally go buy oxycontin 80mgs for the like $1 that they cost to produce and distribute (with profit left over for the retailer), then having that addiction would actually not be much of a problem.

So ... I guess the question is ... is oil more like crack, or more like oxy?

[Warren DeMontague]

23. The addiction is causing erratic, violent behavior, and wide scale health problems for the Planet.

So, do the math.

[brett_jv]

29. Lol ... so, crack then?

I'm inclined to agree

[AverageJoe90]

40. Sad but damn true. =( n/t

[WI_DEM]

9. Going up everywhere due to tensions in the Middle East they say.

[busterbrown]

10. Now that I posted the bullshit that they are pulling on us once again.

I’m calling my reps. in congress right now. Its outrageous that they always seem to lead from behind when this shit continually comes up. Sherman, Fienstein, Boxer,? You’re getting a call right now!!!

[yellowcanine]

11. Gas prices go up and down. Has been this way since deregulation in the 70s.

Still way cheaper than most of the rest of the world. Stop complaining.

[busterbrown]

13. Yea, but there are logical reasons why they more expensive....

Maybe we should consider what you brought up.....Deregulation.....
Also sounds to me like you might be a very comfortable person. You know, what the hell?

[Warren DeMontague]

16. What's "a comfortable person"? Who doesn't like comfort?

For instance, I have a seat on my bicycle that is VERY comfortable.

[busterbrown]

12. Update.....Just called Boxer”s Office. Staffer Said I was the first call of the day!

Does that surprise me?

[Squinch]

15. What is it that you want Boxer to do about the rising gas prices?

[busterbrown]

17. I want her to sing an ode to spring!!! What the hell?

Maybe get an answer from P.R. dept. so we can at least say we are uncomfortable with a 40 cent increase!!
We know their answer will be bull shit. By the way what would you suggest, “Squinch”?

[Squinch]

18. I'm not convinced she is in a position to do anything about it. Nor is Obama,

even though Republicans were calling loudly for him to do something about the gas price spike before the election.

That is why I am asking what you would like Boxer to do.

[busterbrown]

19. I would like her and every other representative in the House and Senate....

who understand how the oil conglomerates are ripping us off, to get out front of this issue and begin
raising hell. They should be forced in front of Congress every time an extreme price increase hits the
pump..Start with the Senate and make the fucking repubs. in the house look stupid for not doing the
same. Scare these shits with terms like Nationalization and threaten them with huge fines. Just send the message that were not lying down any more.. and that they better watch their asses.....

And get the Blue Dogs out of office, one election at a time..... They are becoming the new Republicans

[4Q2u2]

27. Futures Trade

Very few Commodities on the futures markets are traded at such small amounts, and are coveted by speculators. You will see a few of the old faces and names listed in the article.



http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/04/high-oil-prices-regulate-speculators-spr/

[Not1moreNeocon]

33. Well during peak driving season in summer 2008,

The blame went to Bush, Cheney, big oil, and the Iraq war.

Three of those four are gone and yet from 2010 -013 gas prices have been nearly as high and that's in the dead of winter.

Given that, it would probably behoove both parties to shut up about gas prices.

[Marthe48]

14. Went up from $3.19 to 3.65 in less than 10 days in Ohio and WV

AAA was quoted on local news that we were above national average. It's such a load of crap. If they need to change from winter to summer and back again, why don't they use some of their gazillion dollars and build some refineries that are only for summer, or only for winter, and stop ruining the ecomony with this price gouging nonsense. Better still, why won't the government pull oil subsidies and put it in renewables?

[flamingdem]

20. Back to horses and buggies I say

just to spite them

[Left2Tackle]

24. The same reason they blow up here in IL all the time.

Special formulations which, for one, use a heavy amount of ethanol. Now that and farm subsidies are a whole other topic entirely.

"In 2001, John Cook, then the head of the petroleum division of the Department of Energy, called Chicago/Milwaukee an "island," along with California; you may recall that, over the years, Chicago often competes with different California cities for some of the nation's highest gas prices:

The result of this targeted approach to air quality has been to create gasoline market islands. The primary examples are California and the Chicago/Milwaukee areas, in which the required gasolines are unique, and only a limited number of refineries make the products. The inventories of gasoline used in these regions can be drawn down rapidly in response to unusually high demand or a supply problem at one of the few refineries producing the specialized products, or in one of the pipelines delivering the products. Prices for gasoline in these regions then surge. If other gasoline markets are not tight, the prices surges may be limited to the specialized gasoline regions, as we have seen historically in the case of California."

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/March-2012/Why-Gas-Is-So-Expensive-During-the-Summer-And-Especially-in-Chicago/

[onenote]

25. Did you recently move to California?

For the past several years, the price at the pump in California has started climbing in the final weeks of December into January. Like clockwork.

[busterbrown]

31. Been here since early 80s.........I have a feeling were gonna see a lot more fluctuation around here

in the future.... We’re just gonna have to get use to the fires, malfunctions, leaks and all the other bullshit that they come up with. I’ll ask once again, How come we end up paying for their screw ups????

[Myrina]

28. "anticipation of the spring surge" ...

... is the story the AP is feeding to all of the Gannett-owned online papers I've seen this morning.

I think the real reason is pretty plain: GREED.

[TexasBushwhacker]

30. Still $3.25 or less in Houston n/t

[davidpdx]

32. I believe one of the oil refineries in Texas blew up

Maybe some of the refineries in California are having problems as well. I know every time I go through the area above Concord I plug my nose it smells so bad.

[TeamPooka]

34. FYI - fucking does not require gas unless you are doing it wrong. nt

[busterbrown]

35. excuse me fucking gas is very expensive. Sold over the counter, thank god...

[SmittynMo]

36. Most gas/oil comes from this country anyway

I heard on the radio that the US is the top exporter in the world now. If that is the case, why aren't "WE" getting a break on gas prices? Issues and concerns at oil fields overseas should not affect this at all. So my take on this is we're getting screwed by our own country. WTH!!!

[Sunlei]

37. price gouging your state because they can, whos going to stop them?

That's the price a state pays when private profit politicans get a grip on it..they drain your state funds, any federal funds they can grab and stiff the locals for every penny they can get.

[DFW]

38. We pay $8 here

In Germany, that is. Of course, the roads are in pretty good shape, too....

[Loge23]

39. The Great Scam

So now the official excuse is refinery issues limiting supply.
Really? How many gas stations have you seen run out of fuel?
Any lines out there for fill-ups?
Let's face it, despite what our dinosaur friends from the right say, this is a hardly a socialist country when corporations like the oil industry can manipulate pricing at will.
A 10 cent raise in the gallon price? On average that will generate $1B in additional revenue over a one month period - 10 freakin cents.
Now clearly the entire billion isn't going to the top, but that's a lot of scratch either way you slice it.
This is based on last weeks average of approximately 8.5 million barrels of gas (not oil) x 42 gallons per barrel.
Yes, it's an environmental nightmare; yes, we should be developing mass transit; and yes, we need alternative sustainable fuel sources.
But the reality for most of us is gas if you want to get to work.
We're being flat-out ripped off.

[RudynJack]

41. I saw one news report

that said we're switching to the "summer blend" which is more expensive.