Shell gas (nitrogen enriched)

[angler]

i understand free market, and the "problem" of fossil fuel reliance. my cynicism is entirely aimed at the oil companies attempts to increase positive PR by researching alternative energies.........until the low cost at the pump got consumer opinion off their backs

I think this may be a bit chicken vs egg.  I would argue that they began to research alternative fuels not because public sentiment made them want to, but because oil prices got so high researching alternatives became attractive.  Attractive from the standpoint that they could make more profit off alternatives than the rising cost of dino.  All the alternative fuels I have seen cost more than the current price of gasoline and/or diesel.  I don't know what the dino price point is where bio sources for fuel become cheaper, but we crossed that threshold and that, IMHO, is why energy companies began looking for alternatives.  They quit looking in to alternatives when prices dropped below that threshold again.  Let's face it, big oil is not going to do anything unless it gives them higher returns. 

Also, most of what we consider to be big oil are definitely "energy" companies.  Who do you think owns the majority of capacity in LNG receiving and transmission?

[Popeye the Sailor]

ya first time i saw the commercial is was like  . i dont use shell gas anyways and will continue not using it.

Uh, sometimes they supply other gas stations-it won't be obvious you're using Shell gas.

[Drjones]

. . . Let's face it, big oil ANY for profit business is not going to do anything unless it gives them higher returns. . . .

[NAKID]

People keep complaining about gas prices, and of course I'd like to see them lower, but look over the pond. Those guys are getting RAPED for fuel. I mean, come on, close to $8 a gallon?

[DCXCV]

People keep complaining about gas prices, and of course I'd like to see them lower, but look over the pond. Those guys are getting RAPED for fuel. I mean, come on, close to $8 a gallon?

That's their own fault for buying in Liters (or litres).  You have to buy in bulk (Gallons) to get a deal.  Go price out four quarts of milk vs. one gallon and you'll see just what I mean.

[NAKID]

^

[herm]

People keep complaining about gas prices, and of course I'd like to see them lower, but look over the pond. Those guys are getting RAPED for fuel. I mean, come on, close to $8 a gallon?

i want to be clear on three things
1) i am a cynic
2) i think we should be paying at least $4.00 per gallon. that seems to be the price at which people start to consider their fuel consumption
3) despite #2, i will continue to pregnant dog about fuel prices above $2.50

[NAKID]

It wasn't directed at you. Like I said, I pregnant dog about gas prices took. I have a 35 gallon tank in the truck and get 12mpg in the city...

[herm]

It wasn't directed at you. Like I said, I pregnant dog about gas prices took. I have a 35 gallon tank in the truck and get 12mpg in the city...

hahaha........
i have a 36 gallon tank. i get 12mpg when towing a 10k trailer. the rest of the time i average about 17mpg.

yes, its diesel. but much bigger than yours as well.

[sbrguy]

look,  people and everyone are supposed to complain about hte status quo.  according to everyone, the person who has more money is a jerk, if you arent' paying less than someone else you are getting taken, if you arent' getting something cheaper than what you want, then you are being taken, nothing is ever good enough.. that is life. 

that being said, oil companies can do the pr thing about being all goodfor the environtment and such, and how much they 'donate' to good causes, but come one they are there to make a buck plain and simple , i think what people don't like is when people aren't honest about what and who they are..

oil companies=rape the customer for as much money as possible
private companies= rape the customer for as much money as possible so that they keep coming back.
public services=rape the customer for as much money as they have and have them coming back.

see a trend? everyone is out to get something from everyone, that is the true free market.

[RUFKM]

Uh - I'm going to get trashed for this but my fuel light was on & I stopped by a shell station that happened to be there.  My bike ran better on the shell gas than on the gas from my regular station.  Not to say the nitrogen did anything because it was better as soon as the new gas hit the injectors.  One thing the shell station did have was separate hoses for premium so I didn't have to put regular in until the hose was purged.  Maybe that's the difference I noticed.

[Langanobob]

Let's face it, big oil is not going to do anything unless it gives them higher returns. 

The dip in prices is temporary and Big Oil would get higher returns in the long run if they stayed with their alternate research programs.  The problem as I see it is our U.S system of needing to maximize very short term profits and on paper they'd have to sacrifice some short term profit to bring in the long term profit - so they cancel the programs.  Don't know how to fix this situation and it's been going on for a long time and is the cause of a lot of issues in US industry in general, not just the energy companies.  Look how the car companies jumped back into making big cars the minute gas prices drop. You can say it's our fault because we bought them, but to some extent the constant battery of ads conditions us to buy them, like conditioning dogs to a crate.

But, end of the day, I'm still a capitalist and a fan of the free enterprise system.

[Triple J]

People keep complaining about gas prices, and of course I'd like to see them lower, but look over the pond. Those guys are getting RAPED for fuel. I mean, come on, close to $8 a gallon?

It's due to their taxes. A barrel of oil costs the same for them as it does for us.

[NAKID]

Yeah, they get raped by taxes...

[Langanobob]

It's due to their taxes. A barrel of oil costs the same for them as it does for us.

In Turkey, at least as of this time last year, gas was $12 per gallon due to taxes.  Turkey is completely rebuilding their transportation infrastructure with the tax money, I think in order to make progress towards EU membership.  I suppose it's a good purpose but the gas price really cramps the style of the average Turk.   Out on the "interstates" in Turkey, the newly renovated highways are wide and beautiful, with numerous lanes, but only an occasional BMW or Mercedes and a few large trucks -  no traffic at all by our standards.