A bit of a change, but still FUEL prices.
In my area gasoline is down nearly a dollar since the high this summer. $2.81 at Fleet Farm, with 4 ¢ a gallon off coupon.
I'm happy for it, and I don't drive more just because gasoline is 'cheaper' than it was.
Here's my question. Much of the commerce here depends upon hauling stuff with either train locomotives powered by diesel or semi tractors burning it, too.
Diesel used to be about the same price as gasoline, or cheaper, and contained more energy per gallon, so it was a way to get more moved at a lesser price.
Now while gasoline has gone down substantially, diesel price per gallon has hardly budged.
I am a physicist, not a chemical engineer, but from talking with some of those guys in the past, I had the impression that in general crude oil was all about the same, with each gallon producing some lighter elements such as solvents, then gasoline, then heavier stuff like diesel and then tarry stuff for doing roads and such. The proportion didn't seem to vary much whether the oil came from one location or another. If they are still getting about the same amounts from each gallon of crude, why did gas prices fall while diesel hasn't much if any?
Is it all profiteering?