GAS DOWN - DIESEL UP

[SkyPup]

That is not correct.

The refiners in the US are set up to distill gasoline with diesel as a by product, trying to max the production of gasoline but making a poorer grade of middle distallates. In Europe it is the direct opposite, that reason why they get much more diesel from a barrel of crude and it is of much higher quality.

[slowrev]

Good point Egon. There is only so much diesel per barrel of oil, and it is a smaller amount than gas.

[SkyPup]

&lt;/font&gt;<font color="blueclass=small">( Good point Egon. There is only so much diesel per barrel of oil, and it is a smaller amount than gas.
)&lt;/font&gt;

That is incorrect.

A barrel of sweet crude (light, low sulfur) will give a basic yield of about 30% gasoline; a barrel of medium sour about 21% gasoline, and a barrel of heavy sour crude of about 14% gasoline.

Overall refinery yield in the US in 2004, though according to the API , saw about 49% gasoline yield. The increase from the basic yield comes from the upgrading processes.

Similarly, sweet crude will yield about 34% middle distillates (diesel, jet fuel, heating oil); medium sour, about 26%; heavy sour, about 22%. Average 2004 US refinery distillate production: 32%.

That's the reason why "light crude" with less sulfur is more valuable than heavier crude with more sulfur. It's easier (i.e., cheaper, fewer steps) to refine gasoline from the lighter crude.

Delivering more diesel will require the upgrading of refineries with additional processing capability to upgrade the heavier segments for diesel processing specifcally ("dieselization")--and to desulfurize it to the coming norms of ULSD.

And yes, swinging the needle more to the diesel side would come at the expense of a lower gasoline yield.

[SkyPup]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Good point Egon. There is only so much diesel per barrel of oil, and it is a smaller amount than gas.
)</font>

Diesel Learning Fact of the Week:

http://www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesa..._fotw214.shtml

[Egon]

Oh no; again my foot is in my mouth! Was thirty years back in time! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Now, when do we build all the new refineries? Most of the ones in exsitence are well on in years like many of us and may require a little more than just hip replacement add on.

Egon : [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[gsxr1100]

All I know is gas went down to $2.34 today and on Wednesday is another 5 cents off.

So it will be 2.29 tomorrow.
Oh, diesel will be $2.94 tomorrow (after 5 cents).

[deere755]

Reg. unleaded 2.53 diesel 3.59 in Decatur Illinois today. Just plain stupid. Some of us have to use diesel for our business, the only way to offset the cost is pass it on to the consumer. We all pay in the end.

[cp1969]

It warms my heart to read that Mr. Raymond will have earned an additional half billion on top of what his meager wage was while he carried a lunch box to and from Exxon for the whole twelve (12) years he toiled there.

Now I don't mind so much paying an extra buck a gallon for diesel because I know it's going to a good cause. We couldn't have a mere $340 million Powerball winner getting into the same league as an obscure corporate leader--they might buy a house next door or something.

[cp1969]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Shimon – I hate to tell you but mobil has been pretty flat over 6 months if you look. Really the stock price is BELOW what it was 6-months ago.

So he bought stock low and sold high and why is that wrong???
)</font>

I seriously doubt that Mr. Raymond ever invested as much as one cent of his money in company stock. All those shares and options he owned, I am sure, were given to him.

[gsxr1100]

I said that very samething the other day. I stated that truckers and farmers pass the increase to us and boy, people where mad that day.

Then again I do not even care about what the prices are. I buy it when I need it and fill it up. I have more important things to worry about then fuel. I just notice the price since I go by it everyday.

Again, it could be stupid but it is life and is not going to change. Diesel has been more the gas for 3 years here running here.