Why does gas cost so much!!!!

[streak]

O.K guys!

All this belly achin` about gasoline prices could be alleviated by these auto companies getting off there rear ends and designing more efficient engines to run on natural gas fuel. There are engines already capable of doing this and some can get approximately 300 miles to a tank at a cost of $16 a tank. But there can be alot more efficient and larger engines designed to use this type of fuel of which we have an abundance of at this time. This is in part to the recent discovery of the various resource plays such as the Haynesville Shale, Bakken Shale, Barnett Shale, Woodford Shale, etc.
Oil companies such as Encana, Apache. and Chesapeak already are promoting natural gas as a fuel  engines in Honda Civics ( Encana), Tahoe ( Apache), and custom motorcycle ( Chesapeak).

[mcwoodduck]

O.K guys!

All this belly achin` about gasoline prices could be alleviated by these auto companies getting off there rear ends and designing more efficient engines to run on natural gas fuel. There are engines already capable of doing this and some can get approximately 300 miles to a tank at a cost of $16 a tank. But there can be alot more efficient and larger engines designed to use this type of fuel of which we have an abundance of at this time. This is in part to the recent discovery of the various resource plays such as the Haynesville Shale, Bakken Shale, Barnett Shale, Woodford Shale, etc.
Oil companies such as Encana, Apache. and Chesapeak already are promoting natural gas as a fuel  engines in Honda Civics ( Encana), Tahoe ( Apache), and custom motorcycle ( Chesapeak).

Agreed ut for now the Country is set up to sell Gasoline and Propane.
Changing the fuel sale sights to add Natural gas is a good idea but When I lived in So Cal the only place to fuel a natural gas car was at the Gas resources center, a 150 mile round trip from my house.  Not really practical as I some times needed to drive 300 to 450 miles a day.
My school when I was in 9th grade worked on a hydrogen / solar car for the race across Australia.  We were later told we could not enter a fuel engine.
the idea was a solar pannel that ripped the expended fuel (water) back into hydrogen and O2 and compressors that would put it back into the cylinders.
Larger car bodies would be needed

[Swampman]

People make all kinds of excuses for driving gas hogs, the same way they do smoking. 

[mcwoodduck]

People make all kinds of excuses for driving gas hogs, the same way they do smoking. 

? If you want a safe car you go big, more mass, more crumple zones, able to absorb more energy.
If you have lots of stuff to haul you go big.
If you like to go hunting and want a single vehicle to do that you go larger.
If you have to be able to fit four large plumbers in your car you can not have a two seat hybrid.
I sell Pumps and Boilers.  I need a vehicle that can carry the smallest boilers to jobsites and can not afford to have three cars.
People buy cars they need or want due to income, usage, and lifestyle.  Are you going to limit that?  If you can limit that what else can you then limit?  Food, guns, ammo?  that slippery slope with these crazies in power is 45 degrees with lube on it and any thing you are willing to give them adds fuel to their fire to control every bit of your life.
And as long as smoking is legal then let them be.  As long as they are smoking and paying the exessive taxes on the product the governemnts are not asking us to or going after some other product for the revinue.

[Dixie Dude]

Got a company in Birmingham that can convert an F-250 diesel to run a diesel-natural gas blend and it gets 32-34mpg.  Natural gas costs $1.36 per gallon in Alabama.  GM, Ford, and Chrysler can make them to run compressed natural gas right out of the factory, we have ordered them with my company.  Clean, American produced, and if all fleets changed over in America, we would cut 40% of imported oil.  Switching most other cars and trucks to diesel, would cut another 1/3 of the total use.  Thus all imported oil could be cut with natural gas and diesel transition over a 10 year period.  All the money would be spent here, not overseas, thus creating more jobs here.  It would cut our trade deficit in half, thus making our dollar worth more. 

[streak]

mcwoodduck,
There are natural gas compressors that one can buy now that fit right into your home natural gas line, It is slow to fill a tank , but can be started late in the evening and tank can be filled during the night.
Infrastructure could be setup  for refueling with commercial compressors that fill a tank as fast as regular gasoline pumps expend gasoline into  fuel tanks.
As mentioned above technology is there, just getting the development started is the problem.

[streak]

Got a company in Birmingham that can convert an F-250 diesel to run a diesel-natural gas blend and it gets 32-34mpg.  Natural gas costs $1.36 per gallon in Alabama.  GM, Ford, and Chrysler can make them to run compressed natural gas right out of the factory, we have ordered them with my company.  Clean, American produced, and if all fleets changed over in America, we would cut 40% of imported oil.  Switching most other cars and trucks to diesel, would cut another 1/3 of the total use.  Thus all imported oil could be cut with natural gas and diesel transition over a 10 year period.  All the money would be spent here, not overseas, thus creating more jobs here.  It would cut our trade deficit in half, thus making our dollar worth more. 

That is a big 10-4! Dixie Dude,and I would not be surprised to see the price of 1.36 a gallon to maybe drop a little lower as more natural gas comes online from these resource shale plays.

[mcwoodduck]

mcwoodduck,
There are natural gas compressors that one can buy now that fit right into your home natural gas line, It is slow to fill a tank , but can be started late in the evening and tank can be filled during the night.
Infrastructure could be setup  for refueling with commercial compressors that fill a tank as fast as regular gasoline pumps expend gasoline into  fuel tanks.
As mentioned above technology is there, just getting the development started is the problem.

OK but when I lived in So Cal I was on Propane.  natural gas did not go that far out into the desert.  
As the demand goes up so will the technoligy.  and while Natural gas is cheap now let's start adding all the Sales, Use and federal taxes to cover the roads and other things the taxes are supost to cover and the Natural gas will be close to gasoline.
I hate to keep pointing out it is the taxes (Use, sales and income), Demand, and limited supply that has the fuel prices high.
Gas prices can be brought down if we build more refineries and pump oil from our shores. ( how much is the fuel cost from shipping it 1/2 way around the world?  Even shipping from Alaska will be cheaper than the Middle East.) 
Alternative fuel sources are great but if you want cheaper fuel prices deveopling a whole new supply chain may not be the answer.  Again I said May not be the answer.  It is worth looking into the idea.
Much like I yelled at the health care debate. how can you hope to bring down costs with out looking at the costs and the reasons for those costs.
As Demand for Natural gas replaces Gasoline prices will rise, as taxes are added to replace the gas taxes, prices will rise, and as the leftists reaize that natural gas is helping hte economy they will make it more expensive due to NOx standards of less than 20 PPM that we have other gas appliences such as boilers, generators, Water heaters, and Co-gen systems.  That now the EPA air boards, after going after the NOx, are talking about attacking for green house gasses it produces (CO2 and H2O)  also the H20 is acidic and will eat cement, adding to the tax load to repair cement roads, side walks and others road surfaces.  A therm (100,000 BTU/ H) of Natural Gas has about 1 gallon of water vapor in it when burned.  

[Swampman]

They make it up with higher taxes on everything else.  The taxes are a non-issue.

[mcwoodduck]

They make it up with higher taxes on everything else.  The taxes are a non-issue.

What?  How can taxes not be a factor in the costs of fuels.
There are use taxes built into the fuel taxes that are supose to pay for construction, repair, and repaving of major high ways.
States add Use taxes to this for the local streets.  And taxes of the people selling fuels are built into the price along with thier profit, the cost of the fuel and any profit they want to make off selling the fuel, as well as rent for the filling station, repair to the filling station, insurance in case some dip wad in a hybrid leaves the hose in the tank and drives off and causes damage.
And at being taxed at a little over 65% I think I am taxed enough and do not want or need any more taxes!  Once all the taxes, fees, and leavies are paid for the year.  This does not include the added cost in the price of a good to cover other peoples taxes when I buy the good or service.  Add about another 6% (would be less if I did not buy so much stuff)

[Swampman]

They get their taxes one way or another.  If the gas tax is cheap, property tax, sales tax, or another tax will be high.

[mcwoodduck]

They get their taxes one way or another.  If the gas tax is cheap, property tax, sales tax, or another tax will be high.

You are not thinking.
1 you are missing the federal tax.  The other taxes are not federal.
2 when they raise the other taxes that does not stop them from adding this tax on later, and raising it too.
3 the goal of the left is to keep the economy flat.  High fuel costs do that.  No matter what the fuel is they are going to make it high so our economy that they think is evil will not grow.  Less economic power means greater Government power.
And again if every business needs X amount of fuel to work and more for it to expand and grow.
That fuel is the gas to get workers to the office / plant -factory/ or make sales calls
obtain raw materials, equipment, goods to sell, office supplies.
Power to have electricity for Machinery, computers, phones and lights.
The higher the fuel / power costs are the more it costs to do business, ship goods, hire workers, and in relation the higher the price of your product or service is.  the higher the cost of the service or good the less that will be demanded.  The less that is demanded the fewer workers will be needed.  Anything that raises your costs will raise your price.  I am not sure who taught you economics but if it was a high school teacher you need to complain to the school board.  If it was a college professor you should demand your $ back.  Or you only understood the Communist idea of a central planned economy that has never worked in the history of the world where taxes and prices do not matter.

[Swampman]

I've explained it twice.....just forget it.

[bearmgc]

check and see how much those evil oil companies make off a gallon of gas, then see how much the federal , state, county and city governments make on a gallon of gas! The government makes many times what the oil company makes! Now who is the bigger villain here?
                                     Beerbelly

Exactly. The Government will never allow a completely green energy policy, no matter the doubletalk. They rob too much off the oil production to let go.

[mcwoodduck]

I've explained it twice.....just forget it.

You are a Congressman, you have to be.
OK I'm sorry there is no Name calling here.

[bearmgc]

They make it up with higher taxes on everything else.  The taxes are a non-issue.

What do you mean taxes are a non-issue? Taxes kill economies, like a skunk clears out a room.

[nw_hunter]

People make all kinds of excuses for driving gas hogs, the same way they do smoking. 

What do you consider a gas hog?

[slim rem 7]

 i avoided more wrecks with my honda coop than you would believe..
 had 4, 200 pounders in the car with me one day ,when a car made a left,, right dead in front of me at 45 mph..when it was over some very pale faced fellas just commented ..dang tony,, that was some more driven..[id just made the turn with the other car..]
how the heck did you miss that car... now that really happened.. slim

[Sourdough]

As I said before, we can cut back and conserve all we want to, but it still is not going to make a dent in the price of gas and diesel.  The more we save, the more China, India, and other Far East countries will it suck up.

A side note:  Wednesday the price of gasoline was $6.00 a gallon in McGrath, Alaska.  Thursday morning it went to $9.00 a gallon.  And you guys think gas is high where you are.

[Dixie Dude]

Jimmy Carter had the mileage increased on cars and trucks over a phased period of time.  It was enough to eliminate imported oil once all cars got the mpg up.  Well, they didn't take into account several things happening. 

One, there were 200,000,000 people in the US in the late 70's.  Today there are over 300,000,000.  We had about 100,000,000 cars and trucks in the late 70's.  Today we have 175,000,000 cars and trucks. 

Then, when cars got smaller, people went to mini-vans and SUV's if they had families to have room to transport their kids and stuff around.  Mini-vans and SUV's were built on truck frames so the mpg requirements were less on trucks than cars. 

Then no-one wanted a refinery in their backyards, so no new refineries have been built since the 70's.

So, we are still were we started.  Changing to natural gas and diesel would cut most imports.  Also, some people need gas guzzlers for their work trucks, or they have large families.  They also may have a boat or camper to tow, and need a larger vehicle.  Thus they may need a gas guzzler.  This is America, if I want a gas guzzler, I will buy a gas guzzler.

Insurance is less on a big vehicle.  We traded in a Ford Escape SUV for a Ford Expedition.  Our insurance dropped $100 a month.  I have a boat and a trailer to tow.

[Dixie Dude]

There is a 30,000 year supply of natural gas in hydrates in places like the Bermuda Triangle.  I think algae is one of the future fuels also.  It is more efficient growing algae in greenhouses than ponds.  I've read where greenhouses in America covering an area the size of Rhode Island could produce all our liquid fuels.  If land is at a premium, they can be built under shallow seawater like the gulf coast area, since it needs water to grow. Oil produced from the algae, then sent right into the infrastructure in Texas and Louisiana for refining into fuels and oils.  We can also make synthetic fuel from our abundant coal.  There are lots of ways to get things done, but no-one is willing to make hard decisions in the White House or Congress.  It is always my way or the highway, so nothing positive gets done.  We need to do it all and see which one shakes out as the most cost effective and clean.  Natural gas vehicles and diesel vehicles can be done now, introduced into the system and within 10 years existing imports decrease drastically.  Natural gas is also the cleanest fossil fuel putting out about half the carbon as gasoline or diesel.  Like what was said algae is carbon neutral, so it needs to come on line to blend with traditional oil fuels.   

[streak]

Good post Dixie Dude!
Also as mentioned if all autos were switched over to natural gas that would leave a ample supply of crude oil remaining to refine for jetfuel which should bring the cost of jetfuel lower!

[Swampman]

People make all kinds of excuses for driving gas hogs, the same way they do smoking. 

What do you consider a gas hog?

Anything that get's less than 35 mpg.

[williamlayton]

My foot won't let that happen.
Blessings

[mcwoodduck]

My foot won't let that happen.
Blessings

How is the Mustang doing? 

[oldandslow]

There is a 30,000 year supply of natural gas in hydrates in places like the Bermuda Triangle.  I think algae is one of the future fuels also.  It is more efficient growing algae in greenhouses than ponds.  I've read where greenhouses in America covering an area the size of Rhode Island could produce all our liquid fuels.  If land is at a premium, they can be built under shallow seawater like the gulf coast area, since it needs water to grow. Oil produced from the algae, then sent right into the infrastructure in Texas and Louisiana for refining into fuels and oils.  We can also make synthetic fuel from our abundant coal.  There are lots of ways to get things done, but no-one is willing to make hard decisions in the White House or Congress.  It is always my way or the highway, so nothing positive gets done.  We need to do it all and see which one shakes out as the most cost effective and clean.  Natural gas vehicles and diesel vehicles can be done now, introduced into the system and within 10 years existing imports decrease drastically.  Natural gas is also the cleanest fossil fuel putting out about half the carbon as gasoline or diesel.  Like what was said algae is carbon neutral, so it needs to come on line to blend with traditional oil fuels.   

I live pretty close to where one of the algae experiments is located. It gets very little publicity but it sounds good. An acre of algae production is supposed to supply 40 times the energy that one acre of corn would produce and not require nearly as much energy input as does the corn. The last word was that we should see true oil production from algae within two years.

[JPShelton]

People make all kinds of excuses for driving gas hogs, the same way they do smoking.  

What do you consider a gas hog?

Anything that get's less than 35 mpg.

And if Swampman were running the show, you'd be relegated to driving some crappy little Yugoesque POS that can't tow your fishing boat, get you to your mule deer spot and you and your big 'ol buck back home, or haul the stuff you often need to haul from the appliance store, furniture store, and home improvement center when you own said home.

Oh, and the only gun you'd be allowed to shoot would come in a green and yellow box with a stylized "R" on it.



JP

[streak]

With the latest fiasco in the GOM and already they are threating to curb drilling offshore ( AGAIN ) , get ready for prices to start upward!

[Dixie Dude]

Someone has figured that 75% of the cost of gasoline is taxes.  You have per gallon tax at the pump by the feds, state, and local governments.  You have sales taxes every time it changes hands, like from someone who delivers the gas to an independent station.  You have tax from the driller to the refinery, from the refinery to the pipeline, to the truck drivers, on down the line.  I found out that only half the federal tax is actually used by the transportation department.  Congress uses the other half of the tax in the "general fund" budget.  The feds take in about $400-500 billion in gasoline taxes each year, but only use about $200-250 billion on highways, and you wonder about the infrastructure.  They raided the highway money to use on some of their pet projects just like they raided social security to fund medicare and medicaid and other welfare projects.  If they would use the gasoline tax for "transportation", we could have had a high speed rail network by now, more interstate highways, more lanes, better bridges, etc. 

[ed k]

Anything that we use will be taxed and you wont save a dime. I can buy farm fuel for about 2.00 per gallon but it is illegal to burn in on road vehicles. No road taxes is the reason. If you think the money men are going to settle for less money you are living in a dream world. Its going to go for whatever the market will bear. In europe they drive diesels and 35 mile to the gallon junk but their gas prices are worse than ours. So much for that theory. ED