Get Ready for $4 Gasoline!

[Challenger]

$4.63 a gal in Kewanee Il.today
$4.59 IN Princeton Il.
87 octane. 10%
Thank you gov Prickster

[LadyDraco]

Had to get fuel for the farm today

$ 4.87  for 100%
and $ 3.76 for ethanol

I felt really lucky find this gas station  down in Jewel Ridge ..Not far from the salvage yard.

But  all the other places were $ 5.78 100%  and $ 4.19 for ethanol

[F6Dave]

Gasoline is bad but diesel/jet fuel/heating oil is worse. Heating oil is up to $5, more than double from a year ago. A friend who used to live in NJ said that filling his two 250 gallon tanks before winter was always a shock. This winter will be far worse. And people booking air travel for the holidays will be paying far more than they did last year.

For many voters, an extra grand for heating oil or hundreds more for an airline ticket will hit just before the election. It could be rough for Republicans in November.

[Hook#3287]

Gasoline is bad but diesel/jet fuel/heating oil is worse. Heating oil is up to $5, more than double from a year ago. A friend who used to live in NJ said that filling his two 250 gallon tanks before winter was always a shock. This winter will be far worse. And people booking air travel for the holidays will be paying far more than they did last year.

For many voters, an extra grand for heating oil or hundreds more for an airline ticket will hit just before the election. It could be rough for Republicans in November.

You probably right, but that's because most voters don't look any farther then the end of their nose.

I said it earlier and will repeat, I'd pay $10.00 a gallon if it means Iran does not have the capacity to fire a nuke at anyone.

Iran has shown they are absolutely unstable with conventional weapons, through proxies and attack of neighbor countries, so what makes anyone think they would be different with nukes?

Let Iran fire at others ships in the Gulf of Trump  😀 And watch as more of their tankers become obsolete.

That'll learn em.

The bigger issue is what China will do.  My understanding is China has vast reserves of crude oil so current issues are not a concern for them at this time.

But, what happens if they start to run low?

[0leman]

Checked last night, our gas for regular was $4,89, with diesel at $6.24   Was about that those prices during Covid. 

[old2soon]

     putin xi bad haircut guy-nk-have all confabed and most likely using back channels and NOT making most of their meetings public knowledge. I believe think fear all 3 be waitin fer AMERICA to admit we outa long range missiles and I fear all 3 may act together against AMERICA! And if should That transpire well can you say armageddon?    I PRAY I be wrong! RIDE SAFE.

[Pluggy]

Checked last night, our gas for regular was $4,89, with diesel at $6.24  Was about that those prices during Covid. 

When COVID was declared a worldwide pandemic, people started working from home.  Baseball was mostly canceled. Church and schools went on-line.

With less places to go, the demand for gasoline went down and so did the price.  In my town, we had $1.44 per gallon. Some states reported gas at less than $1.

When the vaccines became available, there were more things to drive to. The demand for gas went up and so did the price.

[F6Dave]

I remember!

[F6Dave]

The most I ever paid for gas was $7 for premium. It was last year in Bridgeport, California, on the east side of the Sierra Nevadas. I just looked and diesel at that same station is currently $9.

While the war is heating up, another reason for the latest price spike is that global reserves are running dry. WTI just closed at $102, Brent is $109, and one Middle Eastern grade is over $120.

[Jersey mike]

Unfortunately we are experiencing *the new normal* for awhile. What that timeline is is anyone's guess at this time.

Been reading how the Houthi's are trying to escalate and trying to seize some land and control the shipping in Yemen and the Red Sea. Quite frankly our Middle Eastern friends need to step up to the plate on this. If they don't well they'll suffer the consequences just as much, if not more than the rest of us.

We are labeled as capitalist pigs, funny how that works while those in the Arab nation and others Middle East make billions every year yet we're the nation targeted.

I still like the methodical approach to this although just dropping a few thousand pounds of munitions sounds rather satisfying. Methodically speaking we can pick them apart at will and do the same with sanctions and money as we did with Iran. The Houthi's may think they accomplished something big and maybe they have but I think it will be a relatively short lived one.

Edited: part of the above should read a few thousand tons of munitions not a few thousand pounds.

[scooperhsd]

On my local travels, I noticed that diesel (which is all I have for cars) was tipping on $5.999 / gallon. I've never paid that much before. It makes me think how expensive it's going to be to get to my sister's wedding at the end of the month - 200 mile trip each way - even with a vehicle that can do 45 MPG, that's still going to be expensive...

[Jersey mike]

Was out earlier.

3 stations at the highway as we leave the neighborhood. 2 are caddy corner to one another. One is Conoco with regular (87) @ $4.35, the other is like a no name brand @$4.26 and another 50 yards down the highway is a Federal Fuel (I think) @ 4.27 for regular. The Exxon 2 miles away going east was $4.50 and the one mile west of my neighborhood Wawa west of my neighborhood was $4.35 I think.

Diesel in the area is around the $5.90 mark I believe.

[old2soon]

   Almost fell outin my cage. The Loves here is sowin $6.51 a gal fer diesel. 87 octane showin $4.10 a gal. RIDE SAFE.

[scooperhsd]

Almost fell outin my cage. The Loves here is sowin $6.51 a gal fer diesel. 87 octane showin $4.10 a gal. RIDE SAFE.

Dedicated truck stops are even higher.....

[LadyDraco]

I had a fewthings to do yesterday ,I was at Sam's club
I topped the truck off $3.89 of ethanol  and $ 4.98 for 100% 
And I did toss a can for the farm , in the back of the truck,
 as I had already used the other can from last week in the tractor.

I did stop by  my favorite fuel stop, and nope wasn't going to pay $ 4.19 for Ethanol
and $ 5.10 for  100%   ...

I had ready got at Sam's 

[F6Dave]

There's another problem caused by the war, but not the Iran war. Ukraine has been very successful with drone strikes against Russian refineries. So successful that three of Russia's six major diesel producing refineries are down. The global diesel shortage is already critical and this is making it worse. Trump has asked Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting refineries but who knows how effective that will be.

The global oil shortage is bad, but the refined product shortage is far worse. We're actually lucky that our only problem is expensive fuel.

[old2soon]

    Out and about-cage-already this A M but although diesel holdin tween $6.00 and $6.52 87 octane here dropped from $4.00 a gal to $3.89 a gal. I've been on roller coasters with less excitement!    RUDE SAFE.

[Jersey mike]

There's another problem caused by the war, but not the Iran war. Ukraine has been very successful with drone strikes against Russian refineries. So successful that three of Russia's six major diesel producing refineries are down. The global diesel shortage is already critical and this is making it worse. Trump has asked Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting refineries but who knows how effective that will be.

The global oil shortage is bad, but the refined product shortage is far worse. We're actually lucky that our only problem is expensive fuel.

Well, it's not really a "shortage" of oil like the embargo, it's the trading on the world markets and the instability in that region at this time. Markets love stability even if it's in the terrorist capital of the world.

[F6Dave]

The diesel shortage is real, and more important than the oil shortage. We buy gasoline and diesel, not oil. Globally more diesel (including heating oil and jet fuel) is used than gasoline. Russia is the largest diesel exporter in the world, and a quarter of their capacity is offline. They've shut off exports and are rationing in some places. It's a factor in the $6+ we pay for diesel, the skyrocketing airfare prices many will discover over the holidays, and the inflated prices for products that depend on trucking, which is about everything.

Add the Persian Gulf to the mix and it gets worse. Refineries (especially Saudi) are damaged and offline. And the ones that are running can't get their products to market.

One of the preferred grades of crude for US Gulf Coast refineries is Mars. It's a good match and yields a lot of diesel. It's currently selling at over $126 a barrel, and those refineries are buying all they can and running at capacity to make up for some of the lost supply from Russia and the Middle East.

I hate these prices. But I'm happy I can still get the fuels I need.

[Jersey mike]

The diesel shortage is real, and more important than the oil shortage. We buy gasoline and diesel, not oil. Globally more diesel (including heating oil and jet fuel) is used than gasoline. Russia is the largest diesel exporter in the world, and a quarter of their capacity is offline. They've shut off exports and are rationing in some places. It's a factor in the $6+ we pay for diesel, the skyrocketing airfare prices many will discover over the holidays, and the inflated prices for products that depend on trucking, which is about everything.

Add the Persian Gulf to the mix and it gets worse. Refineries (especially Saudi) are damaged and offline. And the ones that are running can't get their products to market.

One of the preferred grades of crude for US Gulf Coast refineries is Mars. It's a good match and yields a lot of diesel. It's currently selling at over $126 a barrel, and those refineries are buying all they can and running at capacity to make up for some of the lost supply from Russia and the Middle East.

I hate these prices. But I'm happy I can still get the fuels I need.

Yes. I agree 100%.

I was in a rush out the door when I replied and definitely oversimplified my response, but you are correct. 

[F6Dave]

Mike, I think you and I agree on far more than some of our posts indicate. We need to talk some time. FYI I grew up in New Jersey.

[ridingron]

On my local travels, I noticed that diesel (which is all I have for cars) was tipping on $5.999 / gallon. I've never paid that much before. It makes me think how expensive it's going to be to get to my sister's wedding at the end of the month - 200 mile trip each way - even with a vehicle that can do 45 MPG, that's still going to be expensive...

400 miles total, divided by 45 mpg, equals about 9 gallons. 3 20 dollar bills will cover it.

Is she worth 60 bucks? Mine's not.

[Jersey mike]

This "whole oil thing" covers a lot of ground across the world, it's definitely global and to hash out every single determining factor.

Iran and the Strait is definitely one factor but we've begun to handle that.

Now there's the Houthi's running amok with Saudi Arabia and playing other games.  Why the Saudis aren't opening a can of whoop ass on them is absurd. Everyone wants the USA to play the role of enforcer so they don't need to step on any toes of rival players in the region because they knkw just how unstable those lunatics are.

Russia and Ukraine are reasons why there needs to be more options on refining available to the world and the markets instead of shutting down or forcing absurd regulations and restrictions on production facilities.

For a fast example and I've mentioned California many times and their history of ridiculous regulations, according to a very fast web search California back in the year 2000 there were 23 refineries out there.

Overview of Refinery Closures in California
Recent Closures
Two major refineries in California have recently announced their closure:
Phillips 66 Refinery in Los Angeles
Valero Refinery in Benicia
Impact on Refining Capacity
These closures will lead to a significant reduction in California's refining capacity by approximately 17.5%.
Historical Context
The number of operating refineries in California has decreased over the years:
Year   Number of Refineries
2000   23
2024   14
2026 (projected)   11
This trend indicates a continuing decline in the state's refining infrastructure, influenced by various factors including regulatory pressures and shifts in fuel demand.



Now I'm not an expert in the field and I don't knkw the actual causes behind the closures. Maybe some were outdated, maybe some were bought out and shut down.

I think the two most recent ones will be a big loss. I hate seeing good equipment just sitting around doing nothing when there is zero reason mechanically speaking and not being obsolete and can actually be up,and running except some ridiculous regulations have forced the shutdown.

California is not only shooting itself in the foot but it's impacting the USA as a whole.

Two major full-crude refineries—the Phillips 66 Wilmington/Carson complex in Los Angeles and the Valero Benicia refinery in the Bay Area—have recently closed or are shutting down, removing major capacity for diesel, jet fuel, and gasoline.

Overview of Recent ClosuresPhillips 66 Los Angeles (Wilmington/Carson): Shut down in late 2025, removing about 140,000 barrels per day of refining capacity.Valero Benicia: Announced closure and wound down operations by early 2026, cutting another 145,000 barrels per day.Product Impact: While these multi-product facilities produced gasoline, both were significant regional producers of fossil diesel and jet fuel to meet West Coast demands.


If I remember correctly the refineries in California were geared toward the sour type of oil that California oil wells produced. Now we're are receiving almost the same type of sour crude from Venezuela. We may not be getting huge quantities but it's coming and every little bit could be helping us here at home.

The removal of Maduro played a key role in how we went about the blockade of Iran/The Strait. The new so-called agreement with Venezuela puts us on a new course down the road but I think we need more refining capacity and capabilities to help our country.

Oil companies are going to make money, that's a no brainer, however there's got to be a way to get some type of mechanism (and I'm not anti capitalism) in place for oil shipped to (like this deal cut with Venezuela) the USA or pumped out of our ground and refined here in the USA to keep that stuff out of the "World Crude" markets. Oil companies shouldn't be giving their stuff away but sale at a discounted rate for us here in the USA certainly would be a huge benefit for our country.

Now one last thing.

I'm not for federal mandates but we all saw how the oil market dropped during COVID, because nothing was moving oil was like $20 a barrel at one point. We all also saw that work from home can work for those who have jobs focused around that type of work. I'd like to see some interaction between the sec of transportation and large companies whose employees commute to work come up with some type of plan for a wok from home schedule. 2 days in office, 3 days from home. Some places are still utilizing a hybrid type work schedule but something to help get the price down on gas would be nice for the country.

Freight still needs move. All diesel equipment and trucks still need to run. Jets still need to fly so how we get the cost of diesel down is a tough question.

[scooperhsd]

On my local travels, I noticed that diesel (which is all I have for cars) was tipping on $5.999 / gallon. I've never paid that much before. It makes me think how expensive it's going to be to get to my sister's wedding at the end of the month - 200 mile trip each way - even with a vehicle that can do 45 MPG, that's still going to be expensive...

400 miles total, divided by 45 mpg, equals about 9 gallons. 3 20 dollar bills will cover it.

Is she worth 60 bucks? Mine's not.

Yes she is. And her fiance is a good guy (medically retired AF vet - fell 20 some feet while working on a AF cargo plane and was paralized. He was since recovered, but still has issues from this). I'm looking forward to this - I always said that after our parents died, that I was going to walk her down the aisle.


Also - got to figure driving around town while we're there.

[GiG]

..."...). I'm looking forward to this - I always said that after our parents died, that I was going to walk her down the aisle.
Also - got to figure driving around town while we're there..."

Small price to pay for the privilege of escorting the happy couple around on a special day in such a dream car!
CHEERS! 

[Jersey mike]

On my local travels, I noticed that diesel (which is all I have for cars) was tipping on $5.999 / gallon. I've never paid that much before. It makes me think how expensive it's going to be to get to my sister's wedding at the end of the month - 200 mile trip each way - even with a vehicle that can do 45 MPG, that's still going to be expensive...

400 miles total, divided by 45 mpg, equals about 9 gallons. 3 20 dollar bills will cover it.

Is she worth 60 bucks? Mine's not.

Yes she is. And her fiance is a good guy (medically retired AF vet - fell 20 some feet while working on a AF cargo plane and was paralized. He was since recovered, but still has issues from this). I'm looking forward to this - I always said that after our parents died, that I was going to walk her down the aisle.


Also - got to figure driving around town while we're there.

  

[h13man]

Finally hit $3.99 locally but went to my local city, $3.59 and filled the truck and 5 gal. for the lawnmower. Should have took the other 5 gal. can as I usually do.

[F6Dave]

For a fast example and I've mentioned California many times and their history of ridiculous regulations, according to a very fast web search California back in the year 2000 there were 23 refineries out there.

Now half are closed. California is doing a great job of destroying their energy infrastructure. It's intentional, because most of the government truly believes that wind and solar can power the entire state. So why not speed up the process and force everyone off of hydrocarbons? That's the job of government: to force people to do things against their will!

Many are starting to realize the green dream is a fantasy. But it's political suicide to say that, so they're trying little tweaks under the radar. But not Big Tech. One of the many upsides of AI is that it forced Big Tech to quickly abandon green posturing. Just a few years ago tech company websites bragged about running their facilities (didn't call them data centers yet) on renewable energy. It usually involved purchasing carbon credits from guys like Elon, but few knew that.

Those days are gone and Amazon's Jeff Bezos is a great example. Five years ago he spoke to a UN climate conference and said his rocket trip showed him how fragile the planet was. It convinced him to pledge $2 Billion to save the planet.

How times have changed. Amazon is building a gas fired power plant in Texas that will produce more electricity than the Grand Coulee Dam. It is permitted to emit twice the greenhouse gases as the largest emitter in America, a coal fired plant in Alabama. And it will not be part of any public utility -- it will answer only to Amazon.

The tech CEOs aren't dumb. They probably knew renewables wouldn't make a difference years ago. But AI forced them to embrace reality. Hopefully other industries will follow.

[old2soon]

    On the way to the laundramat-0810 or so-87 octane was $3.90 and diesel was bout $6.51 I believe. Left the laundry-1030 hrs or so-and 87 octane is now $4.30 a gal and diesel is $6.65 a gal. Recollect what I said bout the rollercoaster?    RIDE SAFE.

[Jersey mike]

Glean from this what you will, Admiral Brad Cooper of Centcom provides update on Strait of Hormuz and shipping.

While it's not everything is back to pre-conflict status it's a sign freight and tankers are moving. I do believe we have the upper hand and news that will not be made available through many media outlets and will make it readily available.

Hear the Admiral in his own words in the short video in the article.

" CENTCOM Commander Provides Update on the Strait of Hormuz, Praises American Troops"

"CENTCOM forces have supported more than one billion barrels of crude oil leaving the Gulf. That's one billion barrels of crude oil out through the Strait of Hormuz in the last couple months."

"We've reached this significant milestone while assisting over 2,000 commercial ship transits through the Strait by providing coordinated protection. Clearly, momentum is building."

"Primary transit lanes in the Strait are clear of mines. Thousands of ships have passed through the Strait. Over 1 billion barrels of crude have been shipped from Gulf partners through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has exported zero barrels thanks to our ironclad blockade."

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/centcom-commander-provides-update-strait-hormuz-praises-american/

[F6Dave]

I'm getting cautiously optimistic. I've seen reports that China has told Iran to rein in the Houthis. China buys a lot of oil from the Saudis, but it's getting cut off in the Red Sea. China also supplies Iran with lots of weapons. I doubt Iran will ignore the suggestion.

[Jersey mike]

I'm getting cautiously optimistic. I've seen reports that China has told Iran to rein in the Houthis. China buys a lot of oil from the Saudis, but it's getting cut off in the Red Sea. China also supplies Iran with lots of weapons. I doubt Iran will ignore the suggestion.

Well if the world is relying on Russia for diesel (and such) things are going to get a bit more complicated, Ukraine put a real wallop on another refinery with a super new drone that is supposedly more powerful than our Tomahawks and with a greater range.

This situation doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Ukraine's certainly adapting. Not sure just what Russia has left up it's sleeve, can it or will it try some type of "blitz" if they actually have the necessary pieces in place.



" Ukraine deploys new 6-ton missile to hit Moscow and Russian refineries —and the result was devastating"

Ukraine revealed it deployed its massive new 6-ton Flamingo cruise missile its dramatic bombardment targeting Moscow and Russian oil refineries on Sunday.

The dramatic strike, which saw Ukraine fire more than 1,000 drones, utilized the new FP-5 Flamingo missiles to reach the Russian capital, highlighting the power of Kyiv's longest-range weapon, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The missile was designed and mostly built in Ukraine by defense startup Fire Point — and is reported to be dramatically more powerful than the vaunted American Tomahawk cruise missiles.

It also has a greater range, at nearly 2,000 miles.

The assault lit up the Gazpromneft-Moscow Oil Refinery, sparking massive fires at the plant that produces some 11.6 million tons of oil a year, according to Russia's data.

https://nypost.com/2026/09/20/world-news/ukraine-uses-new-flamingo-missile-to-hit-moscow-and-russian-refineries/

[ridingron]

Sounds like Kiev's condos and apartments are in for a rough week or two ahead.

[Jersey mike]

Sounds like Kiev's condos and apartments are in for a rough week or two ahead.

Ukraine has take n a beating throughout this September. Multiple daily strikes. Last I heard their last steel factory had been destroyed in the last few days. Steel production was a huge industry for Ukraine. Russia recently hit important stuff all over the place...pharmaceutical companies, warehouses, shopping malls, distribution centers and even their biggest postal center along with other businesses. Not sure exactly what Russia's end game is here or exactly what their military is actually capable of beyond being a nuclear power. I don't think Russia had this prolonged conflict in mind let alone suffer the consequences they're now experiencing.

All that being said, Russia (like China and other anti-American nations) love having products on the global market such as fuel products (or rare earth minerals) yet are not anything close to pro-democracy or even capitalism and nations still do business with them instead of trying to be less dependent on. Countries like Russia and China do no hinder their nations with ever tightening restrictions and regulations in the name or guise of environmental protection. Yes, rare earth minerals are more prevalent in other parts of the world and we need figure that out but as far as refining crude for diesel, heating oil and jet fuel nations outside of Russia need to figure that out...cut out the middle man who's not friendly. Build in your own nation and put more people to work.

[ridingron]

It seems Russia has been in a war the last 25 years. Their whole economy has to be on a war based plan.

How many generations of men do they have left. It would seem only the very young, the very old and those in the military.

[Hook#3287]

Russia has millions of conscripts, as seen in their fight against Hitler 80 years ago.

Diffence being, it was Russia being invaded and many joined over protection of the Motherland.

But, being a communist government, and as evidence has shown, would be solders will be taken off the roads.

While I haven't done any real research to understand the global diesel market, my guess would be, Russia and like countries do not put restrictions on production like Western governments do, which stymies production, so the real world markets have become dependent on that diesel. Now that it's in reduction from Ukraines bombs, it's the old supply and demand story.

I understand the real world problem with the Russia/Ukraine conflict is food.

Both countries export a lot of food, especially to Africa, and this conflict has hurt that production.

[F6Dave]

I'm surprised that Ukraine ignored Trump's request to stop hitting Russian refineries. I realize it's helping Ukraine, but the world is paying a price. And the price isn't coming down anytime soon. Russia, who was the largest diesel exporter in the world, just extended their ban on all exports.

This will surely keep diesel prices higher for longer, and cause shortages in places. Russia already has rationing and there are signs that parts of Europe may be getting close. We're in better shape than most, thanks to the America nearly tripling production over the last 20 years. Venezuelan crude is helping too. And US refineries are running at 97%, though some may be delaying annual maintenance which is a concern.

If the US begins to see shortages they'll probably show up in California. They dreamed of a world free of fossil fuels. That dream may come true.

[f6john]

Well I said it once and I'll say it again, we should have bombed Iran back into the Stone Age, hitting every infrastructure, military and civilian. Manufacturing oil fields everything! We may still have to achieve the ultimate goal of stopping the IRGC.

[Jersey mike]

Well I said it once and I'll say it again, we should have bombed Iran back into the Stone Age, hitting every infrastructure, military and civilian. Manufacturing oil fields everything! We may still have to achieve the ultimate goal of stopping the IRGC.

Should have, could have, I think the loss of innocent lives weighed heavily on that decision. Too hard too fast would have been raked over the coals. Leaving a definitive option of when at the President's discretion, exhausting what he deems legitimate negotiations and then doing what I believe he doesn't really want to do but will be the last feasible option.

Hit 'em with everything necessary and don't stop. We can be surgical and still hit with desired results. With everything we've done already, we still haven't actually unleashed anything severely detrimental.

Fighting the IRGC with precision jabs like a fighter hitting an opponent who believes they can actually go the full 15 rounds while the IRGC is landing a few glancing body shots believing they've scoring points. This isn't the movie Rocky where the underdog is going to shock the champ, because the champ hasn't even really begun the fight.

They're looking for a ground war. They're poking, prodding and dancing around so-called negotiations. Today was another example of "we'll open the Strait if you stop the blockade" BS. IMO, sorry the Strait is open. It might be like a single lane construction zone but stuff's movin'...and they know it.

[old2soon]

  Most 87 octane holdin around $4.20 a gal and diesel tween $6.00 and $6.70 a gal. Passed a place on US 160 bout 6? miles W of West Plains Mo. that was at $4.10 a gal but I wuz good on fuel on the trike. I'd really HATE to curtail RIDING due to fuel cost BUT we shall see!    RIDE SAFE.