[extropy-chat] FWD [U-Tapao] Re: IS IT TIME TO RATION FUEL?

[BillK]

On 8/22/05, Brett Paatsch wrote:
> 
> That is interesting if its specifically true. 2.5 times equivalent unit
> weight
> seems like quite a transportation premium being enjoyed or befuddled
> somewhere. I'm not doubting your honesty just wondering how
> specifically true it is. If we could get someone on the list to look out
> their window in say some specific town and street in Texas and read off
> the bowser price of fuel and have someone else do the same in some
> town and street in Europe we could play ourselves a nice little game of
> trace the value chain.
> 

The difference is mostly high taxation in Europe to get money for the
government without obviously high taxes. And also to try and reduce
oil consumption.

Here in the UK the current gas price is around 0.90 UKP per litre.
Now for the technical bit.
UKP = 1.80 USD,  1 US gallon = 3.785 litres
So the current UK gas price is about 0.90 x 3.785 x 1.80 = 6.132 USD per gallon.
The current price in Pittsburg is around 2.50 USD per US gallon.


> Gas, or petrol or whatever you happen to call your dead tree juice
> of hydrocarbons is very much a commodity and the brands on the
> petrol stations in that town in Europe and Texas would be conspicuous
> also. Obviously the exchange rates for the relevant currencies would be
> too. The conversions wouldn't be too hard even for a relative maths
> retard like myself to figure I suspect.
> 

> 
> I reckon. But then you and I probably aren't specifically invested in
> the petroleum infrastructure or its existant supporting industries or we
> likely wouldn't be having this conversation in quite the same free and
> easy way.
> 

The petroleum companies do report large profits when the price goes
up, but some of this is due to stocks bought at cheaper prices. In
theory they need more money for oil exploration and getting oil from
places that are more difficult to extract from.

But here in Euroland we can blame the government for higher petrol prices. 
The libertarians should like that! ;)

BillK