# Why are gas prices so high? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941 "2003-03-08T18:25:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941/41 "2003-03-11T04:54:44Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by_ **mangeorge** > Somebody’s screwing with you, **Vortex**. There is no supply shortage of gasoline. Storage tanks are full, and distributers would be more than happy to rush tankers to Phoenix. Esp. at these prices. > Something else is afoot, I think. 😉 From the [same link posted above](http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html): > [@](#): > > At the end of February, gasoline inventories moved toward the lower end of the 5-year min/max range ([Figure 6](http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/gifs/img007.gif)), which is one of the reasons current pump prices are high. Storage is not full. Inventories are _low_. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by_ **Fear Itself** > [Halliburton will put it out.](http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/newswire/2003/03/06/rtr900049.html) > > > [@](#): > > > > **Vice President Dick Cheney served as Halliburton’s chief executive officer from 1995 to 2000.** > > Anybody see a pattern here? So who did you have in mind for the job? Why? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941/42 "2003-03-11T16:07:51Z")
"Can’t believe the thread has got this far without using the word “gouge”. Well, you have a point. Gouging was discussed on the USA tv news & they said that it only comes into play if two or more gas places conspire to have the same high price. Outside of that, they can charge all they want. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941/43 "2003-03-12T00:31:07Z")
What makes you think this is not happening? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941/44 "2003-03-12T00:38:24Z")
Is that chart really significant? We’re looking at the top 1/3 or so. It _starts_ at 170MM bbs. And the lowest recent supply was well over 190 late last year. I did, though, forget about the summer/winter thing. But they actually closed gas stations? I would be a little skeptical of their reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941/45 "2003-03-13T03:34:40Z")
Yes, that chart is really significant. Drilling (and thus replacement of consumed reserves) has been down for a couple of years now. Many interests attempt to influence the price of oil (and gas), but _nobody_ controls it and, frankly, those of us in the supply side of the business with a long-term viewpoint would like to see the crude price a little lower. We don’t want to see the price of hydrocarbon energy and manufacturing feedstocks at a level that chokes business development. But there’s not much we can do about it. “Gouging” seems a poor joke. What is it that you mean? As noted above, even with recent price increases, relative to the CPI, gasoline remains cheap. Perhaps you were referring to your grocer? Mechanic? Physician? ---
**Author:** ![Flying\_Monk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Flying\_Monk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Monk)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941/46 "2003-03-13T22:31:31Z")
Here’s some more info on gas prices: [http://www.icta.org/projects/trans/rlprexsm.htm](http://www.icta.org/projects/trans/rlprexsm.htm) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-so-high/159941.md?page=2)