Why are gas prices so expensive?

Question

I know there are countries that have much higher gas prices in the United States. I'm not going to complain but why are gas prices so expensive right now in the United States?

What is to explain for the sharp rise in gas prices here in the US?

Answer 1

well im not realy sure i think the gov. is trying to take more and more money from us as we go on dont ya think

Answer 2

As you note, fuel prices are not expensive in the US in comparison to the rest of the world.  You need to look externally for international issues like this.  The price rises are due to OPEC manipulations and so on, and also price adjustments to make US prices for crude closer to par with other countries.  Also there is the burgeoning demand from China, and soon India, and this is beyond US influence.

I note people here complaining about OPEC influence.  OPEC is designed to safeguard the 12 member states' interests, and there should be no problem with this, otherwise customers can behave as the price-makers as they do with many other resources.  As with the European Union, the US cannot be a member, and there is fear of the power of these trading blocs.

The rest of the world deals with much higher prices for fuel, and US trade barriers, so the US needs to cope with protective organisations like OPEC in return.  It is also the only way that we can get fuel for the prices we currently pay.  If the US could command prices, it would pay less than it currently does to the detriment of the rest of the world, and OPEC nations.

Remember also that non-OPEC oil nations (the US, Canada, Australia, UK to name some), are not restricted by OPEC quotas, but their overall production is less and their price structure is still influenced by OPEC.

Answer 3

It's the arabs!

Answer 4

According to market analysts, economic specialists, and the oil companies themselves, speculators working markets outside the US are manipulating the prices in order to make money.

Of course, that doesn't explain how the major oil companies are posting profits of over, what was it, something like $400 BILLION for Exxon last quarter? I don't believe it would be that high if Exxon was interested in earning a fair profit.

I really don't care who's raising the prices, I just wish someone would shoot them in the head and get their finger off the damned button before I have to start selling my blood to make ends meet!

Answer 5

The biggest problem is that we are importing a great deal of our oil from the Middle East and from other countries like Venezuela.  Many of these countries are not on the best terms with us, so they are going to make as much money off of us as they can.

To fix this problem, the government needs to allow us to drill here--off of the coast of Florida and in Alaska.  The government also needs to open the oil shale deposits in Colorado and other places.  If we can stop buying as much oil from other countries, the price of gasoline will go down.

One oil company executive said something like this:  Give us more access (to the oil fields).  Give us more access, he said and the price of gasoline will go down.

If you want the price of gasoline to go down, there is a petition you can sign to ask the U.S. Congress to allow us to drill for oil here in America.

Go here for the petition:  http://www.americansolutions.com/actionc...

Short and long of it, the main reason the gasoline prices are so high is because it cost so much abroad and the government will not let OUR oil companies get oil from HERE!  And for those who want the United States to be on a hydrogen economy, don't worry.  That time will come.  But it is not here yet.  We are still on gasoline, and we still want gasoline.  We want it NOW, and we want it CHEAP!

Answer 6

people blame it on the government but one can also find blame on the iol companies. The oil companies can easily increase their rates to get more money and people will have to buy them for their dependence on oil.

Answer 7

Because OPEC has too much power and cannot be controlled.

Answer 8

Chinese consuming more oil,

Arabs not producing more b/c they are mean

US not producing more to save the polar bears.