Higher fuel costs

[Gaspar]

Is anyone else making pricing changes in anticipation of the fuel costs this summer? 

I've been watching the commodities news, and some are calling for $150 oil and gas prices above $4/gal this summer.  My wife's company changed prices before last year's rise and good thing we did, because our fuel cost went from $3,000 for the season to over $8,000.

With increased business this year and the prospect of even higher prices we will probably adjust within the next week.

Anyone else with a fleet considering price increases?

[Conan71]

We will have to adjust our service rates, but any increase in oil & gas prices is good news for our business for many different reasons: retrofits to save on energy costs, higher prices makes certain types of exploration and production which involve equipment we can sell more viable.

Being a consumer, I hate the high oil prices though.  Looks like I will be riding the motorcycle a little more this summer and bicycling when practical.  35 to 40 mpg or 35 calories per mile vs. the average of 15 mpg in my truck.

[sauerkraut]

What can we do? Driving to work takes the same amount of fuel no matter if it's $3.00 a gallon or $5.00 a gallon- We have to have it and we have to pay the cost no matter the price. Fuel is like food it's needed for our lifestyle, to get to work and earn money to pay bills. Most people cannot cut back driving any more than they have- I don't know anyone who drives around town just for the heck of it-  It'll get worse when Obama's "Cap & Trade" starts, plus cap & trade will raise the prices on everything we use from food to gasoline to our electric bills --and our electric bills just went up THIS month at least for Tulsa residents it did. This is why we need to drill, we are hooked on OPEC oil more than ever, we are importing 70% of our oil and domestic drilling is being cut back more & more in favor of "Green" windmills and solar pipe dreams.

[sauerkraut]

I believe it was Jimmy Carter who started the Dept. Of Energy in the 1970's to get us off foreign oil and they now have a budget of $15 Billion dollars and what are they doing with all that money? Back when the DOE started we imported only 30% of our oil needs, and today were are importing nearly 70% of our oil. and it's getting worse. We are hooked on OPEC more than ever before. Hope & Change!

[Conan71]

What can we do? Driving to work takes the same amount of fuel no matter if it's $3.00 a gallon or $5.00 a gallon- We have to have it and we have to pay the cost no matter the price. Fuel is like food it's needed for our lifestyle, to get to work and earn money to pay bills. Most people cannot cut back driving any more than they have- I don't know anyone who drives around town just for the heck of it-  It'll get worse when Obama's "Cap & Trade" starts, plus cap & trade will raise the prices on everything we use from food to gasoline to our electric bills --and our electric bills just went up THIS month at least for Tulsa residents it did. This is why we need to drill, we are hooked on OPEC oil more than ever, we are importing 70% of our oil and domestic drilling is being cut back more & more in favor of "Green" windmills and solar pipe dreams.

FWIW, AEP/PSO, to my knowledge, doesn't use oil to generate electricity just natural gas (which is remaining very low that's what I'm not understanding about the "fuel adjustment"), coal, wind, and hydro.

[SXSW]

Cut back your driving, ride a bike, or take the bus.  Higher prices for oil and natural gas, while bad for commuters, is good for the oil and gas industry in Tulsa.

[sgrizzle]

FWIW, AEP/PSO, to my knowledge, doesn't use oil to generate electricity just natural gas (which is remaining very low that's what I'm not understanding about the "fuel adjustment"), coal, wind, and hydro.

PSO Has 7 oklahoma plants, 6 are CNG, 1 is coal. They also signed deals to buy power from a wind farm in SW Oklahoma and another CNG plant in Jenks.

Price has been low on Natural Gas which is why, for something like 18 months, PSO was issuing fuel charge refunds on every month's bills. That ended in March, however.

[TeeDub]

PSO Has 7 oklahoma plants, 6 are CNG, 1 is coal. They also signed deals to buy power from a wind farm in SW Oklahoma and another CNG plant in Jenks.

Price has been low on Natural Gas which is why, for something like 18 months, PSO was issuing fuel charge refunds on every month's bills. That ended in March, however.

Sneaky...   You forgot to mention PSOs second coal plant...   Conveniently located in Texas.

[dbacks fan]

PSO Has 7 oklahoma plants, 6 are CNG, 1 is coal. They also signed deals to buy power from a wind farm in SW Oklahoma and another CNG plant in Jenks.

Price has been low on Natural Gas which is why, for something like 18 months, PSO was issuing fuel charge refunds on every month's bills. That ended in March, however.

I thought the plant in Jenks was PSO? At least I think it was back in the 80's when I used to deliver freight there.

[Patrick]

For consumer with their personal vehicles or companies with a fleet, you should really look into CNG conversions.  The federal tax credits are very good and state credits, in some cases, are better.  Add in the fact that natural gas is dirt cheap right now, abundant, and locally produced, you have a great solution.

[sgrizzle]

Sneaky...   You forgot to mention PSOs second coal plant...   Conveniently located in Texas.

There are many AEP plants in texas, Oklaunion is partially managed by PSO but is not a PSO plant.

[sgrizzle]

I thought the plant in Jenks was PSO? At least I think it was back in the 80's when I used to deliver freight there.

There are two plants in jenks now.

[dbacks fan]

There are two plants in jenks now.

I did not know that. Found it on google just south of the PSO plant. Interesting to use the google earth time lapse tool and go back to 1995 in that area and see all of the changes.

[custosnox]

I did not know that. Found it on google just south of the PSO plant. Interesting to use the google earth time lapse tool and go back to 1995 in that area and see all of the changes.

umm.. I know this is going off topic, but what time lapse tool?

[custosnox]

umm.. I know this is going off topic, but what time lapse tool?

found it, forget I said anything