
Originally Posted by
Times Roman
ok. you seem to know a fair amount about this.
but you fail to mention that each state requires what is called boutique gas. this means that each state sets different emission requirements and different mix requirements.
you do know, that in California that 10% of what you pump in your tank is ethanol, don't you.
what is the cost per gallon of that?
your formula misses that ingredient entirely.
additionally, this "boutique" gas, most states, if not all, require a certain % of ethanol. plus a cocktail of other additives that make each state a unique blend.
next.
a single refinery may supply an entire state. do you not see the monopolistic problem with this. we have anti-trust laws, yet we allow monopolies with respect to refineries and state requirements.
the whole point of anti trust laws is to prevent monopolistic pricing, yet here we are.
additionally, most refineries are running pretty much, more or less, at full capacitiy. so what do you suppose happens when they have either scheduled or unscheduled maintenance? supply goes down and price goes up. other refineries may have the ability of stepping up in with these supply shortages, but will require set up time and lead time. in the mean time, huge spikes in the price of gas.
and this is what the refineries want. monopolistic powers and the ability to hugely fluctuate the price of gas on a whim. and do you think they plan scheduled maintenance when demand is at it's lowest? without knowing for a fact, I would say it would be anti profitable. we all know this is the trick the utilities were doing back in the Enron days. it got so bad the feds had to step in. but they haven't stepped in yet with the refineries, as the states are complicit too. I imagine huge contributions are provided to keep the industry as deregulated as possible. and so the politicians turn a blind eye.
the solution of course, is to federally regulate and to take much regulatory power away from the states. this in theory would create a situation where ALL gas is the same and if one refinery goes down, 99 others can step in so no supply shortages and no huge price spikes (I pulled the 99 number out my ass, so all you google ninjas can relax).
this is the part I feel you are misguided in when you state that the price of gas is 14 cents a gallon due to refining. I would actually laugh at that number, and first of all, ask where this number came from, and how vetted this number. it appears it might be an industry, instead of real number, provided by industry itself?
there are plenty of stations in my town, and the moment one drops gas 1 cent a gallon, the rest usually do too. no station is unrealistically gouging their prices, as many want a lower price to increase traffic in their little food store where they can make the real money.... $2 for a small bottle of water? 2 for a small fountain soda pop? they don't make their money on gas, it's on the stuff inside the convenience store.
so please double check your data
and still, why all the frustration over something like this?
....doesn't make any sense to me