Gas Prices

[mkr]

$3.46 at Colchester Maplefield's today.  They had some cars lined up at the pumps this afternoon.

[Razzle Dazzle]

I'm sure hoping to see that first numeral turn into a 2!

[Norton]

I'm sure hoping to see that first numeral turn into a 2!

No problem.  Michele Bachmann has figured out how to get the price down to below $2.  If elected, she promises to "drill, baby, drill".  This will almost certainly make a huge difference, since suspending all environmental regulation and sucking out as much crude as possible as fast as possible would increase the world supply by almost one-half of one percent.  If the Saudis don't reduce their production to compensate (something most experts would expect them to do), then the price might fall by three cents or so.  According to Bachmath, this would result in gas prices under $2 per gallon.

[tweetie1]

Gas here in Pahrump,Nv. at Smith's grocery store is $3.29..you can get  .10 cents more off a gallon if you have 100 points or save the points and get $1 off a gallon when you reach 1000 points.

[Mike Raburn]

Have you ever thought about the distributor / retail relationship with regard to petroleum products in Vermont?

Here are the major distributors that service Northern, VT

1) R.L. Vallee : St. Albans Fuel Distributor: Owner of the Maplefield's Chain of store, also owns gas & diesel pumps and or sell petroleum products at independently owned stores. ( Nan's Mobile )
 
2) Champlain Oil: South Burlington: Owners of the Jiffy Mart Chain & Champlain Farms Gas Stations at least 39 locations in VT & NY, also owns gas & diesel pumps and or sell petroleum products at independently owned stores.  ( Supply fuel and own fuel pumps at Minor's Store and Steeple Market )

3) S.B. Collin's : St. Albans, VT: Owners of Jolly Store Chain, also owns gas & diesel pumps and or sell petroleum products at independently owned stores.  Recently bought out Clarence Browns Fuels, seller of home heating, gasoline, diesel ect. 
Greg Brown was continually monitoring local fuel prices and was know to be the least expensive in St. Albans.  He also was partner in JJJ Trucking a fuel distribution company.  Buying out CBI was a big move in control and market share in local fuel prices.

These are 3 of the local fuel distribution companies that not only sell fuel at their own gas station, they also sell petroleum products to mom and pop's stores and service stations.  Since the large chain gas stations in VT are owned by the distributors and also supply the mom and pops store, plus often own the pumps and tanks, it is elementary for the distributors to control the fuel prices in our area.

Not only do the fuel distributors supply the gasoline, diesel, kerosene and incidental quart oil products, often times the distributors also own the credit processing terminals in the stores.  By owning the terminals the fuel distributors also bill for credit processing on a monthly basis.  By doing this the fuel distributors not only are able to sell petroleum products to independent stores, but also earn a percentage of gross sales on all products sold at the register that are paid for with a credit card.  ( How much cash do you carry day to day )

If I am off base I am sure that I will be corrected.  Distributors will tell us that the cost of transporting fuel from the rack in Albany to northern vermont is expensive.  I will agree that trucking is expensive, however the added cost of trucking when distributed over a 8000 gallon load is negligible in my opinion.

I am sure that prices will go up when the refiners are once again caught off guard when they have to change from the summer fuel formulation to winter fuel. 

These observations do not include distribution of bulk motor oil, home heating products or retail sales of motor oil.  This is another story all together.

David,

That is quite the analysis.

At 1st pass through on the reading that post, my gut said, Fuel Mafia!!

After the third pass, reading is hard for me, I say the control by overhead.
They may take a hit on the delivery of the product, they deliver via their own product mind you, but may make it up on the selling....maybe.

I have never seen a gas station owner or delivery company owner living high on a fat hog.

We all need it, so we are gonna pay.....

Like David said, if anyone can correct us, or educate us on this.... please do!

PS David,
We are bidding work here at 3%......
The people wanting to build know that.

They are getting a huge bang for their buck. Good for them!
Hope they invite me over for dinner one night!

[David Shea]

Mike,
3% doesn't leave any room for error.  Good luck on your estimates.
Dave

[Mike Raburn]

Mike,
3% doesn't leave any room for error.  Good luck on your estimates.
Dave

Nope............ you eat it!
LOL!

[Dick Brown]

Oil refineries on the East Coast are closed for the weekend because of Hurricane Irene ........Excuse # 41 is now going to kick in as prices get raised ( even though the crude oil price had dropped to $ 84/ barrel by Tuesday ) . Life as seen from the oil company perspective ( what's good for Exxon is good for the country ) .

[Mike Raburn]

$3.69 here 8/26.

[Scott Mitchell]

I think I saw an SBC tanker delivering at Minors this morning so I think that SBC is Minor's, Champlain Oil is Steeple and RL Vallee is Nan's.  So we all can take comfort that there is healthy competition in Fairfax for you Fuel Dollars.  Have a Happpy Hurricane every one.