Deseret News | Gas prices in Utah have plunged to among cheapest in the nation

Reader comments
Gas prices in Utah have plunged to among cheapest in the nation

The NIT | 1:31 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Finally! Gasoline prices are coming back down to a reasonable level. This period is a little gift of time and economic sanity where we should be working on a strategic energy policy that excludes foreign interests and foreign sources. I wonder if all the "brilliant" Reid/Pelosy politicians understand the golden opportunity placed before America. NOW is the time where we should be drilling here, drilling now, saving big dollars and securing our future energy independence. Now - not when the situation again reaches a crisis.

But why do I get the sinking feeling that our elected representatives are sitting on their collective butts and not doing anything? Gee - just like the last 30, 40 or 50 years!!

Oklahoma Mormon | 6:07 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Stay vigilint Utah. Like Oklahoma, Utah is wanting to raise the gasoline tax. Remember the taxes were not lowered when the price was $4 agallon. Seems as though our government cannot live within it's means. Secession is going to be the only answer.

Outcry! | 6:28 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

This is unbelieveable! Outrageous! Just a few months ago gas prices in Utah were the highest in the nation - and it was due to greed, foul play, price rigging, etc. We demanded action against these culprits. Nothing was done, and now gas prices are the lowest in the country! Gas stations must be price fixing now as well. We need investigations! Without price fixing, how else could prices have declined so much?
Wait, so you mean when oil futures prices are high, so are gas prices, and when oil futures prices are low, gas prices lower? Since it is too difficult for me to understand complex market dynamics, I'm just going to continue to blame BIG OIL for taking it to us.

Comments continue below

liberal larry | 6:37 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I hope that people see how fortunate we are to have such cheap oil prices, and to realize that they won't last. As soon as demand ramps back up we will again be looking at $4.00/gal gas. We should use this time as an opportunity to reduce consumption, through more efficient vehicles, and develop clean, alternative sources of energy.

A thought | 7:16 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Does anyone else think we've been had? I think the price of gas was manipulated to such high levels by somebody trying to get Obama elected. Maybe not, but the coincidence is just too much to sniff at.

Junction | 7:25 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

In some of the UT County areas you can gas up for at least $1.50 that is pretty good but the worst kind of gas i willnever use is Maverick gas, I think it is hard on your cars, I refuse to gas up their, Best place to fill up are Chevron, and the Junction

kathyn | 7:29 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

It's great for my pocketbook, to say the least, to have lower gas prices. I don't doubt that the prices can rise quickly again. What troubles me is the fact that because the cost of gas is low right now, certain gov't officials think this is a good time to add on taxes. What happens when the price of gas goes back up? I've never known a tax to go away once it's in place.

Yes, stay addicted | 7:36 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Yes, now's the time to drill for more oil in America, even if it only can sate 5 percent of our needs -- and keep us addicted! We can afford it now! .... PLEASE!!!! The Arabs dropped the price of oil in the mid-1980s, and it motivated the abolishment of virtually all of the federal programs on renewable energy. Reagan even tore the solar panels off the White House! So we continued our addiction even when Nixon, Ford, and Carter all promised to get us off of foreign oil dependency. Cheap prices keep us addicted. It is kind of like a drug dealer who gives 'free stuff' to hook potential clients and then raises the prices once they're hooked! We're seeing the mid-1980s all over again if Obama and Congress turn a blind eye to the situation. Obama hasn't named his energy and environmental czars -- rumor has it that he's working to get solar-advocate Schwarzenegger as his energy advisor -- that could really shake things up in the energy arena! And it could be a boon for sunny Utah and West! Jobs and clean air and more stable fossil fuel price would result from a booming solar industry!

Boy, it took awhile | 7:39 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Finally--You poor Utahns have been averaging 50/60 cents higher than us ever since the prices started to fall back to where they should be. Now you are only 10 cents higher.

Now, if only all prices would start approaching what they should be, the way gas is--and companies that have been COMPLETELY flagrant and over the top in profits (like the oil companies) would start to approach their correct levels.......

Ah, to dream.

Dave | 7:59 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

True NIT. Also, the low price of oil makes it not economically feasable to drill for new oil, or any alternative fuels. Kind of a double wammy that will haunt us in the future.

Anonymous | 8:02 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I don't see how this is news. When Utah gas prices are ABOVE the national average, then that's news.

They will rise soon | 8:08 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

OPEC is determined to get prices back up, so I don't expect low prices to last past January.

DDC | 8:09 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

To our legislators, NO GAS TAX INCREASE! Every time it comes down, they want to increase the tax as though it is not going to go way up again. They need to figure out how to make their dollars stretch just like the rest of us.

CP | 8:12 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Well, it's about time Utah has lower gas prices!!! After being one of the highest in the nation for a few years, nice to be in the lower bracket for a change. My question is: For how long???

Hmmmm.... | 8:20 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

What happened to no more cheap available oil? Looks like we were being screwed like usual. The oil compainies caused the worlds mess with Bush and Cheney helping them along. I think the oil companies should bail out the Big 3.

Cleetorn | 8:24 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

NIT is right. Now, while prices are so "low," we need to be taking the steps to insure our future independence from foreign interests. OPEC nations will not allow this to last much longer. I read one report (can't remember where) that indicated gas prices will reach near $7.00 a gallon by next summer. We should be building storage tanks as fast as we can to stockpile while prices are reasonable. We must be developing domestic resources before the Middle East gets us back into the strangle hold they have enjoyed previously.

But standard operating procedure has been to bask in the sunshine while it lasts and only worry about what we should have done when the floodwaters reach our eyebrows - again. And it appears that current attitudes reflect past behaviors. It's just downright sad.

so happy! | 8:54 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I'm so glad gas prices have come down now and we no longer need to drill for our own natural gas and oil.
Thank god Obama isn't a greedy oil man.

BotchedExperiment | 8:57 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

WHY were Utah gas prices among the highest in the nation and now are among the lowest in the nation?

'Prices swing like a pendulum' is NOT an explanation.

Anonymous | 9:10 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I totally agree that it was a scheme to get Obama elected. You will also see a HUGE turnaround in the stock market right after he takes office.

It is what politicians do best. Manipulate the masses to get what they want.

MR.MR. | 9:30 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Gee it seems to me that our(Utahs) gass prices should be the cheapest in all the states SINCE we HAVE enough crude oil here in our OWN state to supply us, yes folks we have LOTS and LOTS of crude in Fruitland and Vernal, Utah to supply Utah for a long time to come, in fact i have been told there is not only oil wells CAPPED in Fruitland and Vernal but there is enough crude oil there for your kids kids kids kids, yes enough for many generations to come, so now if you want to be POed at someone lets start with the owner of those wells, Cowboy Oil AKA FlyingJ yea folks FlyingJ the most greedy oil company i know and maybe we ought to blame our governor for letting it happen!!!!!!

vegas jeff | 9:33 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

for those who balme obama,sour grapes.
bush is the oil man,all this happened under his watch.you all really need to get away from the am talk radio and start thinking for yourselfs

Not True | 9:37 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

We pay for 85 octane. Everywhere else it is 87 octane. Utah is still getting ripped off.

85 Octane | 9:58 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I agree with Not True. Can someone tell me why 85 octane is the norm in Utah, where 87 is the norm outside the Mountain West?

falcon's beak | 10:07 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Let's drill, drill here, drill now. Utah produces 19 million barrels of crude a year. We need to put an export fee on it when it goes out of state. Texas eliminated their income tax this way. A huge area of potentially large oil deposits are off limits. Let's use natural gas in our vehicles. Geothermal has a future in Utah let's go after it. We actually have a wind farm in Utah now. can't we have more? Ilove solar and it is going to come maybe sooner than later. My hope is that sea algae oil will do what they it can do: replace half our oil in a decade.

hmmm | 11:14 a.m. Dec. 6, 2008

utah one of the lowest ya right.

its only going to be like this for a few more days when 2009 hites fuel is going to cost much more then it ever did in 2008.

Anonymous | 12:01 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I paid $1.63 for 87 octane in California.

Doctor Don | 12:01 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

The answer to why "85 octane" in Utah: High Altitude, just like Colorado! Air at higher elevations is less dense and gasoline consumed at our elevation needs to be mixed with a lower proportion of detonation controlling "octane" resulting in a lower "octane rating".

Cats | 1:27 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

To SO HAPPY and Vegas Jeff: More victims of Bush Derangement Syndrome. Honestly, will some of you people take a class in economics and stop getting all your ideas from the Daily Kos. World wide oil markets--supply and demand are what determine the price of oil. That's it. It has nothing to do with who is in the White and who isn't.

By the way, based on your theory, George Bush is responsible for the LOW prices now since he's still in the White House. In case you hadn't noticed, Bush is STILL President.

The oil companies are making the same profit margin now as when oil prices were at $140 a barrel--about 8 cents on the dollar. Oil companies are price takers--not price makers.

PLEASE, WILL YOU PEOPLE TAKE A CLASS IN ECONOMICS and stop livng in conspiracy theory land. The President has NO ability to control oil prices.

elizabeth | 2:15 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Gas in Huntsville Texas @ one dollar and fifty three cents.

Never satisfied | 3:22 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Man you Utahns have got to be the biggest whiners I have ever seen. First you whine when your gas is "the highest in the nation (oh.. except for all those other states who have higher gas prices than us, but they don't count) now you're whining when they drop? Give me a break. Let me guess. It's still the oil companies fault that you're paying anything at all for gas. Grow up. There is a world outside of Happy Valley.

Octane | 4:06 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I love the comments about Utah having lower Octane. Thank you Doctor Don for educating those who are too lazy to do it themselves. In this age of the Internet where you can quickly "Google" a topic, people should really make just a little more effort to educate themselves so they can make informed comments.

Cats | 4:22 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

To Never Satisfied: That was a really nasty, condescending comment.

Anonymous | 5:21 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

You crazies think raising gas prices and tanking the stock market was all some ploy to get Obama elected?? It is big business that wags our politicians, not the other way around!

If anyone had that much power to manipulate markets they wouldn't waste it on getting some politician elected, they'd use it to get stinking rich!

The real world has been calling you nutcakes for years!

DT in Mo | 5:31 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Unleaded gas in Kansas City, Missouri is $1.37 as of today.

Thanks! | 5:47 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

I actually paid ALL of my utility bills with the money I would have spent in gas. In truth, I got them caught up. They were three months behind and I was striking deals just to keep my utilities on.

I'm concerned that the prices will go back up after Christmas.

E85 User | 6:42 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Forget gasoline. It is actually a waste product. Ethanol is the better product. Using it would lower the cost of fuel and stop imports quickly. The vehicles using it would be cheaper because all of that pollution suppression equipment could be removed and eliminated.
No, for all of you naysayers, it does not take food off your table nor make the cost of your clothes higher. For the facts look to Brazil. That country imports NO oil, does not use corn, and the price of fuel is so low that they export.
Yes, there is a downside. Yep, the cost of sugar would skyrocket. Sorry sugar lovers, I do not feel sorry for food which kills, including that non-food called POP in assorted flavors.

at Costco in Sandy | 7:17 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

...today I filled up with regular at $1.459.

RE: E85 User | 8:17 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Okay, so let's say you are right and that using ethanol would not increase food prices (too late, already has in the US. But let's assume.)

Have you ever looked at how much energy it takes to PROCESS ethanol? After you process the stuff to make the fuel, and then burn the fuel, how efficient is it really? Because, you know, you are probably using oil or coal to provide power for ethanol processing.

Why not just burn the oil and coal and save some energy?

Oh, and by the way. If ethanol is so great, why is Brazil doing so much oil exploration? Didn't they just find one of the richest off-shore oil reservoirs off their coast recently?

military overseas | 10:32 p.m. Dec. 6, 2008

Be grateful for your good prices. The military in Japan are getting robbed at the pump (on military bases). Gas prices until 1 week ago remained a steady $4.06. Regardless of what was happening in the states for the past 4 months, the prices here did not budge.

Luckily this past week it dropped to $2.40.

Be grateful for your great prices.

Idaho n8ive | 12:05 a.m. Dec. 7, 2008

The lower prices on gas is great but what about Diesel, isn't it a bi-product of Gas, or in other words a waste product. Why is it still soooooooo much higher than gas.

Anonymous | 5:54 p.m. Dec. 7, 2008

the economy could not support gas prices as high as they were in the summer but prices this low and falling aren't good either. Get smart people.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.