Frequently Asked Questions About Gas Prices

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

What We Pay For in a Gallon of Regular Gasoline (March 2005), Retail Price: $2.08/gallon, Refining (19%), Distribution & Marketing (6%), Taxes (21%), Crude Oil (54%).

What are the average national and regional gasoline prices?
Why are gasoline prices so high?
Why are gasoline prices so different from one state (or region) to another?
Where does my gasoline come from?
What is the outlook for gasoline prices?
What is the history of gasoline prices in the U.S.?
Where can I find information on gasoline taxes?
What is Reformulated Gasoline (RFG)?
What is happening with refineries?
What is OPEC doing?

Source: Energy Information Administration, 2005

What are the average national and regional gasoline prices?

Energy Information Administration

Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (updated weekly)
This Week in Petroleum (updated weekly)

Why are gasoline prices so high?

Energy Information Administration

This Week in Petroleum (updated weekly)
2003 California Gas Price Study (May, 2003)
Gasoline Price Pass-through (January, 2003)
A Primer on Gas Prices (July, 2003)
Oil Market Basics
Primer on Gasoline Sources and Markets

California Energy Commission

California Gasoline & Gasoline Prices (01/08/2004)

Why are gasoline prices so different from one state (or region) to another?

Energy Information Administration

A Primer on Gas Prices (August,2004)

Motor Gasoline Prices at Retail Outlet, 2003 Average Price for Regular Grade by Region. West Coast: $1.77, Rocky Mountains: $1.57, Midwest: $1.52, Gulf Coast: $1.46, Central Atlantic: $1.59, Lower Atlantic: $1.48, New England: $1.60.

Where does my gasoline come from?

Energy Information Administration

Where does my gasoline come from (October,2004)

What is the outlook for gasoline prices?

Energy Information Administration

Short-Term Energy Outlook (updated monthly)

What is the history of gasoline prices in the U.S.?

Energy Information Administration

Petroleum Consumption and Prices, 1949-2002(graphs)
Retail Motor Gasoline and On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices, 1949-2003(data)
Retail Historical Gasoline Prices (updated weekly)
Petroleum Chronology of Events

Graph Showing the Real and Nominal Prices of Gasoline from 1978-2000 Tabular Data are Available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/txt/tab0522.htm

Source: Energy Information Administration, 2002
www.eia.doe.gov

Where can I find information on gasoline taxes?

Energy Information Administration

Federal and State Motor Fuel Taxes

What are gasoline taxes used for?

The National Council for Science and the Environment

The Federal Excise Tax on Gasoline and the Highway Trust Fund: A Short History (03/29/2000)
Gasoline Excise Tax-- Historical Revenues: Fact Sheet (09/16/1997)

Federal Highway Administration

Highway Trust Fund Primer (November, 1998)

What is Reformulated Gasoline (RFG)?

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Fact Sheets on RFG

What is the benefit of RFG?

Cleaner Gasoline for Cleaner Air Better for Your Health (April, 1995)

Where is RFG used?

Reformulated Gasoline Program Areas (February, 2004)

Is RFG effective?

Emission Facts: Reformulated Gasoline (November, 1999)

What is happening with refineries?

Energy Information Administration

Oil Market Basics-Refining
U.S. Refinery Operations (updated weekly)
The U.S. Refining Industry (08/10/2000)

What is OPEC doing?

Energy Information Administration

**Recent editions of the Fuel Economy Guide are provided as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Any PDF file can be downloaded, viewed on screen, and printed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. This free software can be downloaded from the Adobe Web site. Installation and setup instructions are provided on this site.