Daily Star photo/KATIE ROHMAN Customers lined up through the parking lot of the Niles Walmart Tuesday to fill up their vehicles at the Murphy USA station, which sold the cheapest gas in town at $3.83. Some stations in Niles increased their prices overnight to as high as $4.15 per gallon.

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Motorists line up for ‘cheap’ gas

Published 8:31pm Tuesday, March 27, 2012
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Rachel and Samantha Adams walked away from the pump Tuesday evening with one gallon of gasoline — and that was enough for them.

“I’m like, forget this,” Rachel said as she and her stepdaughter navigated the lines of vehicles at the Murphy USA station at the Niles Walmart. They used a container to purchase the $3.83-a-gallon gas for their truck.

Rachel said she is concerned about gas prices, which soared over $4 a gallon at some stations in Niles between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

“I just moved, and I have to drive my kids across town,” said Rachel, a Carberry Road resident whose children attend Brandywine.

Motorists were honking as vehicles jockeyed to get in line at the station, which often boasts the “cheapest” prices in town. Just down South 11th Street, some stations were selling gas for as high as $4.15 per gallon.

Lacey Gustafson, a Niles resident, usually buys gas at the Murphy USA. Filling up her Ford Taurus used to cost her about $35 a tank; now, a trip to the pump sets her back about $50.

“My husband and I usually don’t go out as much,” she said.

Gas prices in Niles remained steady for about a week before the hike. The national average rose more than 21 consecutive days as of Sunday, and more increases are expected in April, GasBuddy.com senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan reported.

According to GasBuddy.com, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, California, Washington, Oregon and Wisconsin have some of the highest prices in the U.S., with many areas topping out at $4.25 per gallon.

The lowest prices in the country Tuesday — about $3.51 per gallon — were primarily in the Upper Midwest and some southern states. Colorado, overall, had the lowest prices Tuesday.

Regular unleaded gas prices in Niles as of Tuesday evening

• $3.83 — Murphy USA, 2105 S. 11th St. (Walmart)

• $3.88 — Admiral, 1701 Oak St.

• $3.95 — Marathon, 2205 E. U.S. Highway 12; Marathon, 801 N. 13th St.

• $4.12 — Marathon, 2323 N. Fifth St.

• $4.15 — all others

Source: www.michigangasprices.com

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  1. March 28, 2012 at 4:53 pm <Link>

    Let me tell you about the gasoline,
    you have just Bought today.
    The Oil Refinery bought that about 6 Months
    Before it was Delivered, at the Price fixed,
    on that day.
    It waited from 17 to 34 days awaiting being,
    loaded upon a super tanker, and Shipped.
    It took about the same amount of Time,of
    17 to 34 days to be delivered to the port,
    of that Refinery.
    Once it reaches it’s port of destination, it
    will probably spend 9 to 15 days, to Berth,
    or a Nautical Term to Dock.
    Once it is Docked it will take 2 days to Test,
    the Oil in the Various Holds (Tanks) it is
    Stored into, and be prepared to be Offloaded.
    Depending upon the Size of the Ship, that could
    take from 24 hours to 36 hours, to Offload.
    Then the Ship must Scrub it’s tanks, and Pump
    to Cleaning Solvents offshore to be disposed of,
    and then the final inspection from the U.S Coast Guard
    Marine Inspections Division, before it can be escorted,
    by Tugs, and a Pilot out of Port to Sea again.
    It then must disembarks the Pilot on a Pilot boat,
    and the Pilot Signs off on the ship to depart that Port.

    Back to our Oil, from which todays gas came from.
    Then it has to be stored into a Tank, for at Least
    10 days to Settle and be tested in that tank, before
    it is refractured, and refined.
    Then it’s various by products, and the Gasoline is
    pumped into another tank to settle, Gasoline takes
    at least 5 days for settling and tested.
    then it is blended, and stored into it’s final tank,
    for another 5 day settling and testing days.
    Then it can be stored up to 6 months, or
    Pumped out for Immediate Shipment.
    It is bought, and then transported.
    So the Gas you just Bought, was really Purchased,
    about 9 Months ago, to a year ago.
    But here is the Kicker, do You pay the Price,
    it was purchased for, or Todays Market Price?
    Giving “Big Oil” quite a windfall price, and profit.
    as you don’t pay for the Actual price,
    but the Replacement, thus you are in fact
    subsidizing “Big Oil’ from any future losses.
    When the market price changes upword Today, You
    Price raises that Day, but when it goes Down it takes
    on an average of 6 Weeks to lower.
    Yet nobody ever questions why?
    Sam Taylor

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