In a first, gas and other fuels are top US export

**USSWisconsin** · 31 Dec 11,, 23:53

Originally Posted by bonehead

All I did was have the emissions ripped out, shoehorn a 5 speed where the 4 speed was supposed to be and a quick tune-up. Nowdays you have to be a computer geek and you have to worry about emissions testing in a lot of places. Have to admit the electronic controls are an improvement overall. They are just a pain to do an "end around" on.

Yes, I miss the days when skill, a few springs and an assortment of jets could make all the difference. Now you need a laptop, special harnesses, programs and expensive aftermarket ECM's with rewritable chips, different injectors, modules and sensors - the tuning principles are still the same, but not the investments or implementation. Not referring to substantial horsepower changes (those were always expensive) - just milage improvements.

**mustavaris** · 01 Jan 12,, 07:44

Yesterday´s average price in Finland was 7,47$ for a US gallon...

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

Compared to most of the world we have nothing to complain about when it comes to gas prices.

Maybe some of our fellow WABbits could pipe on if they think that $3.26 ($3.54 premium) is expensive for a gallon of gas (US daily avg).

S2 · 01 Jan 12,, 09:10

UC-San Diego economist James Hamilton provides this look at the emerging trend in U.S. refined fuel exports-

U.S. Net Exports Of Petroleum Products, ECONOBROWSER Dec. 25, 2011

America still consumes more than double our nearest competitor-the PRC. OTOH, American consumption of crude has fallen about 1.6 million bbls/day to 19.1 million bbls/day (2010 est. CIA Factbook) since 2004. How much of that can be attributed to the declining economy versus conservation measures is unknown to me but, to be fair, some can be ascribed to each. With new sources of shale becoming increasingly available from N. Dakota south to Texas (ask Chogy), an accompanying decline in U.S. prices at the pump may spur an increase in domestic consumption as the economy heats up.

Locally, I've seen prices fall on basic unleaded gas from about $3.69 to $3.16 per gallon since mid September. That's nearly as low as the $3.12 per gallon price I paid in February 2011.

**kato** · 01 Jan 12,, 11:57

Originally Posted by mustavaris

Yesterday´s average price in Finland was 7,47$ for a US gallon...

Got that beat, $7.64 per gallon in Germany. Although i blame the low euro for it being so cheap lately.

**mustavaris** · 01 Jan 12,, 12:33

Value of euro is set to decline fast in the future as the ECB-Comission axis moves forward with their plans to destroy the economical foundament of the Northern Europe.

**RollingWave** · 02 Jan 12,, 02:24

hmmm... it's actually fairly cheap in Taiwan, unless I'm doing the math wrong... today it's at 31-32 NT a Liter, 31-32 NT = slightly more than one US dollar (like 1.05) and 1 galleon = 3.785 Liter.. so that means we're at roughly 3.97 USD per galleon here.

Horrah for State controlled oil company ?

**wellman** · 02 Jan 12,, 03:39

at one gas station here in minnesota its its $3.09/g

**USSWisconsin** · 02 Jan 12,, 04:22

Glad to hear from you Wellman! Happy New Year!

I wonder what gas costs in Saudi Arabia?

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lis...bal_gasprices/ .

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2011...l-perspective/

It looks like Venzuela has the cheapest gas.

**Chogy** · 02 Jan 12,, 15:24

How many of these high prices are simply layers of fees and taxes designed to enrich treasuries and/or promote certain consumer behaviors? A gallon of gasoline has an intrinsic worth, and it is NOT $7.00 per gallon.

If you let oil companies and refineries slog it out in true open competition, without taxation and fees per gallon, what would the fuel actually cost consumers?

**mustavaris** · 02 Jan 12,, 15:29

In case of Finland, the taxes & fees are aprox. 60 % of the price at the pump.. The competition is actually very tough and most stations sell the fuel with very low profit/close to no profit.

**RollingWave** · 02 Jan 12,, 18:02

oh, it should be noted also, that in Taiwan the vast majority (like 99%) of pumps are manned (though it's basically the lowest entry job here, even many handicapped folks can do it and it's pay reflect that.), so gas stations do have higher fixed costs there .

**bonehead** · 03 Jan 12,, 03:01

Originally Posted by RollingWave

oh, it should be noted also, that in Taiwan the vast majority (like 99%) of pumps are manned (though it's basically the lowest entry job here, even many handicapped folks can do it and it's pay reflect that.), so gas stations do have higher fixed costs there .

You mean you can't pump the gas yourself? We have that in Oregon and gas is still generally cheaper in the Portland area than the self serve stations across the river in Washington.

**RollingWave** · 03 Jan 12,, 06:56

yeah, though I guess that isn't a huge factor in the price, since they're only paid minimum wage, self served station never really caught on in Taiwan for various reasons (for one, not as many folks have credit cards.)

**astralis** · 03 Jan 12,, 14:56

chogy,

If you let oil companies and refineries slog it out in true open competition, without taxation and fees per gallon, what would the fuel actually cost consumers?

i suspect quite cheap, actually. of course, "true open competition" means a break up of OPEC, no state oil companies, no favorable tariffs or price supports...

this is the main issue with treating oil as just another commodity-- it's not. it's absolutely necessary for modernity and thus nations will treat it (quite understandably) as a strategic resource in which market rules can and should be bent.

S2 · 03 Jan 12,, 15:19

"...this is the main issue with treating oil as just another commodity-- it's not..."

Crude might be close to a commodity-if still strategic in some (OPEC) respects. Value-adding by refinement or costs for transportation changes the bbl price before it enters its destination in a usable form. At that point, governments pile on with their taxes.

Correct me if my view is wrong.