Foreign gas prices
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London has the sixth most expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs $8.12 in London. (Andrewbatman / Flickr)
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Paris has the seventh most expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs $8.06 in Paris. (Waitscm / Flickr)
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Hong Kong has the eighth most expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs $7.85 in Hong Kong. (Studio H / Flickr)
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Berlin has the ninth most expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs $7.76 in Berlin. (Ilovebutter / Flickr)
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Tokyo has the 10th most expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs $6.59 in Tokyo. (Nemo\\\'s great uncle / Flickr)
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Kuwait has some of the least expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs a mere 82 cents in Kuwait. (Miskan / Flickr)
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Venezuela has some of the least expensive gas in the world. A gallon of gas costs a stunning 6 cents in Venezuela. (SpannerDan / Flickr)
Gasoline prices have dominated the Houston-area and national news as prices at the pump continue to climb toward $4 per gallon.
In Houston, gasoline prices are up a penny overnight to $3.50, or roughly 45 cents higher than they were last year. Nationally, the pump prices rose three cents overnight to $3.64.
Gasoline prices have risen 25 cents over the past month, and they’ve been steadily rising since New Year’s Day. Analysts said they are likely to continue to rise through the summer, and there isn’t an easily solution.
“As soon as gas prices get up to $4, it’s something everyone wants to talk about. But there is no short-term solution to these high gasoline prices,” said Sarah Emerson, president of Energy Security Analysis. “There’s nothing you can do to bring down gasoline prices that is consistent to our approach to markets and the economy.”
Emerson said increased production and drilling could in theory reduce gasoline prices in the short term, but it isn’t a long-term solution to the problem.
Gasoline prices have risen as ongoing tensions with Iran and concerns about three northeast refineries closing have pushed oil prices over the $100-mark.
But according to a list complied by Airinc, a Cambridge, Mass-based consulting firm, gasoline prices could be higher.
In Asmara, Eritrea, drivers pay a whopping $9.58-per-gallon, the most expensive price in the world. Major European cities, such as Berlin, London and Paris, are a few dollars cheaper, but that’s still higher than what U.S. drivers pay.
Gas prices
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A computer glitch caused gasoline to be sold for $1 at a Pasadena gas station. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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A computer glitch caused gasoline to be sold for $1 at a Pasadena gas station. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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A computer glitch caused gasoline to be sold for $1 at a Pasadena gas station. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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A computer glitch caused gasoline to be sold for $1 at a Pasadena gas station. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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A computer glitch caused gasoline to be sold for $1 at a Pasadena gas station. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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A computer glitch caused gasoline to be sold for $1 at a Pasadena gas station. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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Gas prices hovered around $3.35 in Katy. A gas prices war between a Kroger and a Walmart station had sent prices to $3.14 earlier this week. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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Gas prices hovered around $3.35 in Katy. A gas prices war between a Kroger and a Walmart station had sent prices to $3.14 earlier this week. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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Gas prices hovered around $3.35 in Katy. A gas prices war between a Kroger and a Walmart station had sent prices to $3.14 earlier this week. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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Gas prices hovered around $3.35 in Katy. A gas prices war between a Kroger and a Walmart station had sent prices to $3.14 earlier this week. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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Gas prices hovered around $3.35 in Katy. A gas prices war between a Kroger and a Walmart station had sent prices to $3.14 earlier this week. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)
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In this March 31, 2011 photo, a worker changes the numbers indicating gasoline prices on the sign at a gas station in Cranberry, Pa. Retail gasoline continues to set records for this time of year. The national average increased nearly 2 cents overnight to $3.725 per gallon. Pump prices have climbed by more than 65 cents per gallon since January, costing Americans an additional $247 million per day for the same amount of fuel.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) (Keith Srakocic / AP)
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A man on a skateboard passes a 76 station with fuel prices in the $4.00 range in Los Angeles Monday, April 11, 2011. With the price of gas above $3.50 a gallon in all but one state, there are signs that Americans are cutting back on driving, reversing a steady increase in demand for fuel as the economy improves.(AP Photo/Reed Saxon) (Reed Saxon / AP)
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In this March 31, 2011 photo, Daniel Dona pumps gas at a Shell gas station in Menlo Park, Calif. With the price of gas above $3.50 a gallon in all but one state, there are signs that Americans are cutting back on driving, reversing a steady increase in demand for fuel as the economy improves.(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) (Paul Sakuma / AP)
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Gas prices are displayed in Wantagh, N.Y., Tuesday, April 12, 2011. Gasoline pump prices continue to set new records for this time of year. The national average for a gallon of regular rose 2 cents on Tuesday to $3.79, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig / AP)
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A price board is shown at a Shell gas station in Novato, Calif., Thursday, May 5, 2011. Oil tumbled nearly 7 percent Thursday amid new signs that demand for fuel in the U.S. is weakening. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
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In this May 5, 2011 photo, the price for one gallon of unleaded regular gasoline is seen on the sign outside a BP gas station in Beachwood, Ohio. Americans are switching to more fuel efficient cars and driving fewer miles, but purchases of gasoline are still gobbling up an increasing chunk of the nation’s pocketbook. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) (Amy Sancetta / Associated Press)
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In this photo taken May 5, 2011, a woman fills up her vehicle at an Arco gas station in Mill Valley, Calif. Americans are switching to more fuel efficient cars and driving fewer miles, but purchases of gasoline are still gobbling up an increasing chunk of the nation’s pocketbook. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
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FILE - In this May 5, 2011 file photo, contractor Mylan Johnson pumps gas into his truck at the Marathon Station in Moreland Hills, Ohio. Consumers spent more on gasoline, clothing and autos in April, pushing retail sales up for a 10th straight month. But much of the gain came from a surge in gasoline prices. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, file) (Amy Sancetta / Associated Press)
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Erica Antwi gasses up her car at the Braeswood Shell Station at 8521 Stella Link, Friday, May 13, 2011, in Houston, as people give their opinions about the high cost of gas prices. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)
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Gas prices at the Valero station on Fresno just east of IH-10 west ranged from $3.68 a gallon for regular unleaded to $3.89 a gallon for diesel fuel. (Tuesday May 24, 2011) JOHN DAVENPORT/jdavenport@express-news.net (JOHN DAVENPORT / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS)
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A car passes gas prices at a filling station Friday, May 27, 2011, in Philadelphia. For every $10 a household earns, almost a full dollar now goes toward gas _ forcing Americans to rethink what they spend on everything else, including the family vacation. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
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Gas prices at a Tetco and Exxon on the 10,000 block of San Pedro ranged from $3.73 a gallon all the way up to $4.01 a gallon for super unleaded at the Tetco. (Tuesday May 24, 2011) JOHN DAVENPORT/jdavenport@express-news.net (JOHN DAVENPORT / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS)
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People pass gas prices at a filling station Friday, May 27, 2011, in Philadelphia. For every $10 a household earns, almost a full dollar now goes toward gas _ forcing Americans to rethink what they spend on everything else, including the family vacation. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
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In this June 22, 2011 photo, gas station manager Joseph Sublett changes a sign reflecting lower prices in Little Rock, Ark. Wary of a new surge in gas prices, the Obama administration has decided to release 30 million barrels of oil from the country's emergency reserve as part of a broader international response to lost oil supplies caused by turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly Libya.(AP Photo/Danny Johnston) (Danny Johnston / Associated Press)
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FILE - In this July 1, 2011 file photo, a man pumps gas at a crowded Shell gas station in Little Rock, Ark. Oil is climbing as analysts ratchet up price forecasts for next year as supplies get tighter.(AP Photo/Danny Johnston, file) (Danny Johnston / Associated Press)
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In this Aug. 15, 2011 photo, a motorist pulls the nozzle out of his gas tank after fueling his car at a station in Augusta, Maine. For the first time in months, retail gasoline prices have fallen below $3 a gallon in places, including parts of Michigan, Missouri and Texas. And the relief is likely to spread thanks to a sharp decline in crude-oil prices. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach) (Pat Wellenbach / Associated Press)
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C.R. Martinez (left) takes a photo of the gas price to send to his cousin in California while he brother Ismael (right) looks on after filling their car up with $2.98 gas at a Valero gas station in northwest Houston near W Little York Rd. and T.C. Jester Blvd., Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011.
"We just got back to town from California where gas was $3.89; this is the cheapest gas we've seen", C.R. Martinez said. "I told my cousin he needs to bring his RV to Houston just so he can drive it."
( Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle ) (Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle)
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In this Oct. 10, 2011 photo, motorists look for an empty gas pump at a Valero gas station in Miami Gardens, Fla. The oil market is choosing to view the barrel as half full, and the price has risen about 28 percent in a month. Should drivers worry that holiday shopping money will instead go to the gas tank? (AP Photo/J Pat Carter) (J Pat Carter / Associated Press)
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Jim Jackson of Stephenville, Texas, fills up Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, at a Rudy's Exxon station in Nacogdochoes, Texas. Jackson, who is partners in an oil production company in Stephenville, said increasing fuel prices haven't impacted his driving habits but his lifestyle and spending have changed as he tries to save more for an uncertain economic future. (AP Photo/The Daily Sentinel, Andrew D. Brosig) MANDATORY CREDIT (Andrew D. Brosig / Associated Press)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 18: Gas prices are displayed at a Chevron gas station on January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gas prices in California are 34.1 cents a gallon higher than last year and according to some analysts the gas prices could get close to $5 a gallon in some areas during the warm-weather driving season. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 18: Gas prices are displayed at a Shell gas station on January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gas prices in California are 34.1 cents a gallon higher than last year and according to some analysts the gas prices could get close to $5 a gallon in some areas during the warm-weather driving season. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 18: Gas prices are displayed at a Conoco Phillips gas station on January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gas prices in California are 34.1 cents a gallon higher than last year and according to some analysts the gas prices could get close to $5 a gallon in some areas during the warm-weather driving season. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 18: Gas prices are displayed at a Conoco Phillips gas station on January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gas prices in California are 34.1 cents a gallon higher than last year and according to some analysts the gas prices could get close to $5 a gallon in some areas during the warm-weather driving season. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 18: Gas prices are displayed at a Chevron gas station on January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gas prices in California are 34.1 cents a gallon higher than last year and according to some analysts the gas prices could get close to $5 a gallon in some areas during the warm-weather driving season. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
It is painfully obvious that the rising gasoline prices are more than a scam; but an outright fraud.
Fact: Whenever there is an oil “crisis”, the oil companies continue to make new record profits. This is public knowledge. This does not follow reason if supply is purportedly short and manufacturing costs are that much higher. Aside from the cost of a barrel of crude, the costs of manufacturing are basically the same now as they were several months or even a year ago.
Fact: We have an extremely rich supply of crude oil in North Dakota, with new wells being installed every day. What is happening on the other side of the world should have no effect on us. We not only have the reserves, we will have more reserves!
Fact: Gasoline prices have risen faster than ever are some are predicting the price to be at $7 per gallon by this summer, higher than ever. This will not only stop economic growth, but send us into another recession as everything depends on the cost of fuel. That most certainly includes food, clothing, anything consumable, cost of airfare, bus fare, train fare. The vacation, tourism and leisure industries will surely suffer.
It will cost more to get to work (if you are fortunate enough to have a job). It will be hardest on those who commute an hour or more each way on a daily basis.
Fact: Currently in Venezuela the cost of gasoline is 6 cents per gallon!
The government claims nothing can be done. NONSENSE! Any other industry that gouges like this would be brought up on charges!
It’s time to; Release our oil reserves and tell our enemies where to go, and fight back this coming election with votes for the right candidates. It’s time to tell elected officials that they be subject to the same basic rules of employment as we are; if you can’t (or won’t) do the job right – your fired!
It’s not so much our gas is very high. Those countries that are the highest also tax fuel much higher than we do. One good thing about the countries with the lowest prices is they produce enough for their own country needs and then mark up the price with tariffs or just limit production to keep the prices high. Here in the US producers just sell everything on the open market. Even our Strategic Reserve gets sold on the global market instead of being used here in the US by taxpayers that paid for the the oil to begin with.
It’s important to note that part of the reason gas prices are so high in places like Europe is that the tax the ever-living crap out of them, as in the equivalent of several dollars a gallon. *Without* the taxes, their prices are in line with the urban areas of the U.S.
Of course, in nations like Venezuela which is awash in oil, gas prices are almost as giveaway prices.
Tom Jenson
Your first so called fact is misleading – What Oil companies are you talking about? Oil Producers or Refiners (Manufactures?)? Only in the case of a few Super Majors ExxonMobil, Cheveron, Shell, and BP do they do both. East Coast refiners have been Operating at huge losses, due to high crude prices and low margins on finished product.
Your second fact is nonsense too. Oil is a “global” commodity that is traded on almost every stock exchange in the world. So what happens across the world does in fact have a effect here.
In the US there is a glut of crude oil, not a shortage. So what would a release from the strategic reserve accomplish?
If you support Capitalism and a free market system, then the goverment should not get involved. I doubt they would have any impact anyway. See my note on your second fact.