... It is indeed very lucrative for potential owners to purchase gas stations in our current economic condition where gas prices are at sky high, especially in places where public transportation is scarce. On average, the whole United States have faced an increased in gas prices nearly 5 cents from March 21st, 2014 to April 4th, 2014 (Reuters, 2014). According to Reuters, Lundberg survey has shown that this increase in gas prices was caused by an increase in demand. In fact, the United States has been experiencing gas prices increasing since early February this year after gas prices saw a price fall in late 2013 (Reuters, 2014). Despite of the fact that gas prices and demand for gas is high, it makes sense for cousin Edgar to spend his money on purchasing gas stations because the facts suggest that he could gain a lot of profits by operating gas stations. However, there are other various factors that cousin Edgar must take into consideration before spending his money, such as the gas demand and supply, the price elasticity of both, the cost of gas production, as well as the future challenges that awaits him in the future. One thing that Edgar must know about what can affects demand is the availability of substitute product, which in this case the substitute product for gas would be the use of public transportation. In places where there is a good public transportation system like in San Francisco, the demand for gas could be more elastic compared to Los Angeles, because consumers...
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...popular "must have" toy is in short supply. And there's usually a strong secondary market for the item – with parents paying well over the retail price just to make their children happy. Then, in January, stores reduce the prices of their remaining holiday items – cards, decorations, and so on. Why do parents – and stores – behave this way? The answer is in the laws of supply and demand. Together, these laws give us strong clues about what to produce, how much to produce, and how much to charge. Because supply and demand play such a central role in our economy, it's important to understand how they operate – and how you can use them to analyze decisions about price and quantity. The Law of Demand Demand, in economic terms, shows how much of a product consumers are willing to purchase, at different price points, during a certain time period. After all, we all have limited resources, and we all have to decide what we're willing and able to purchase – and at what price. As an example, let's look at a simple model of the demand for a good – let's say, gasoline. (Note that this example is illustrative only, and not a description of the real gasoline market.) If the price of gas is $2.00 per liter, people may be willing and able to purchase 50 liters per week, on average. If the price drops to $1.75 per liter, they may be able to buy 60 liters. At $1.50 per liter, they may be prepared to purchase 75 liters. Note that while some gas usage is essential – driving to work...
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... Page 3 Consumer Response to Changes in gas prices Page 3 Price Elasticity Page 4 Suppliers Response to Price Changes Page 4 Equilibrium Prices under low price elasticity Page 5 What Causes Gas Prices to Increase Page 6 Opportunity Cost Page 7 Conclusion Page 7 Introduction Prices are set by demand and supply. When supply falls, prices rise quickly. The demand for oil continues to hit a record high. Countries like China and India are consuming it more frequently as they industrialize, but cars and power factories. However, the supply of gasoline has been restricted by certain requirements forcing oil refiners to manufacture different gasoline for an assortment of purposes. The price of gasoline reflects producers’ costs and consumer’s willingness to pay. Gasoline prices tend to rise if the cost to produce and supply such commodity rises, or if people decide to buy less gas at the current price (when supply is greater than demand). The price of gasoline will stop rising or falling when a price is reached at which quantity demanded is equal to quantity supplied by producers, otherwise known as equilibrium. Consumer Response to changes in the price of gas 3 The rising price of gas will affect consumer spending rather than significantly impacting the amount of gasoline being purchased. The major aspect of the consumer life affected by the spike in gasoline prices is the change made to their expenditures...
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...The law of supply and demand is a function of microeconomics. The premise of this law is that if the supply or demand of a good or services will increase, than the quantity or price of the goods or service will increase as well. The reverse of this is also true, if the good is overly supplied than the price will decrease. If there is a decrease in the demand than the price will decrease as well. If things are being produced and not sold, the production of that item will be decreased until the demand improves. The topic that I chose an article for is Natural Gas. This is a commodity that I work with every day. I have seen the impacts of how the laws of supply and demand impact our business every day. Natural Gas is a commodity that is traded every day. The market dictates what the prices of a thousand cubic feet of gas will cost. I can compare this to oil. The price of a barrel of oil fluctuates every day based on market demand. Natural gas is a safe and reliable energy source that is in plentiful supply. With the technological advancement that has taken place in the last few years have allowed natural gas producers to access shale plays across the United States. This is accomplished through the fracturing of the earth underground. What has been discovered because of this is a significant amount of natural gas liquids. There are wells being drilled in these shale plays for the natural gas liquids. When the natural gas liquids are produced natural gas is produced...
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...The price of gasoline has a close relationship with the price of oil. According to Wikipedia, Crude oil is the primary raw material used to produce gasoline and from the mid 1980s to 2003 the price of a barrel of oil was generally under $25. In 2003 the price reached $30 per barrel and by 2005 was up to $60. It peaked in 2008 at almost $150 per barrel and has been causing great economic hardship for societies across the globe. There are several reasons for the increase such as declines in petroleum reserves, tension in the Middle-East and oil price speculation. (Wikipedia.com) The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries including Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Venezuela, who pursues ways and means of ensuring the stabilization of prices in international oil markets with a view to eliminating harmful and unnecessary fluctuations. It secures a steady income for its members while ensuring an efficient and reliable supply of petroleum to consuming nations and a fair return for investors in the petroleum industry. OPEC’s influence has been criticized since it became effective in determining production and prices. (Wikipedia) Even though this paper focuses on gasoline prices, it is impossible for me to speak about gas and not also mention oil. Economies around the world are very dependent on oil which is vital to providing petroleum for motor vehicles as well as generating electricity. A decade ago...
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...Arizona’s Gas Pipeline— it’s effects on the Economy Having severe damage to the gas pipeline that supply Arizona with gas, caused the pipeline to shut down over a couple of weeks, thus creating a sellers market and consequently gas prices sky rocketed. Since there was very little gas to go around for consumers to fill up their tanks, gas stations weren’t profiting as much by hiking up the prices— as the quantity was far less, even though the consumers ended up paying for outrageous prices at the pump. As per the old rule of supply-and-demand when a product is scarce and there is a lot of demand, sellers have the luxury of increasing the purchase price onto the buyers, leading to a change in the equilibrium price, and the quantity in which drivers will fill their tanks. Because the gas was hard to come by, it made drivers think twice how far they will drive. When the gas companies stop the normal deliveries of gas to the gas stations, gas stations started to run low on fuel, again gas prices went up, and this worry many head of households who now had to take into consideration whether that family vacation will be taken by car or by plane. Although there was a higher demand for gas the amount people were willing to pay to get their vehicles filled up never change, primarily because people still needed gas. The temporary blockade of gas did however, shifted the supply curved to the left, and leaves the demand curve about the same. The equilibrium price of gas does change as...
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...is a very interesting question to discuss. Gas prices are always fluctuating and at the moment we are experiencing all time high gas prices at the pump. I live in Southern California in Orange County which is a nice area. The city that I currently live in which is Irvine has many gas stations throughout. Near my house, I have four gas stations surrounding me. These gas stations are Arco, Shell, Mobil and Chevron. Arco seems to have the cheapest prices at all times in respect to the other gas stations. Some say that it is due to the cheaper quality of gas that they use. Chevron has the most expensive prices in respect to all the others. However, I have noticed that when gas prices increase, all four gas stations increase their prices and vice versa. Fluctuating prices at the pump usually occur because the price per barrel increases due to many factors. When the price per barrel of oil increases, the gas prices at the pump in turn increase. There is a demand and supply for gas. The demand is obviously always there and at a high rate since everyone needs gas to operate their vehicles. If we can understand the laws of supply and demand, we will have a clear understanding of why gas prices fluctuate at the pump. Supply represents the amounts of product that a producer is willing to produce at every series of pricing per a specific period. The law of supply states that as prices increase the quantity supplied increases and vice versa. Demand on the other hand represents the amounts of...
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...the most classic application examples of supply and demand is the gas/petroleum market. Gas prices are established through basic supply and demand, when demand rises and supply falls, prices rise quickly; and just the converse when supply increases and demand falls, prices decrease (although rare in modern day occurrence). Fluctuations in gas prices are also the result of multiple industry factors including uncertainty in the economy, economic demands for oil and the price per barrel of oil. Speculation and forecasting also lend a hand in continuously moving market equilibrium. Intermediaries in the market, such as gas wholesalers, can also have a profound impact on the market through price increases, charging higher premiums for service and handling. Multiple influences affect the price of gas, some direct, others indirect. One such case of an indirect influence on price is natural disasters. The hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico region have impacted gas prices on more than one occasion, more recently Hurricane Katrina. The devastation that rocked the nation impacted the supplies of crude oil and gas productions leading to a shortage. This shortage was felt almost immediately as prices per gallon of gas skyrocketed. (Chevron Corporation 2005-2008) Government regulations and taxation also impact the price of gas to the consumer. National, state, regional and local government each has levied a tax on gas. These taxes impact the price per gallon as it varies from area to area...
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...trends provide us with evidence to the relationship between supply and demand. These trends are examined to determine spending habits and patterns of the consumer. All goods and/or services with goods being defined as “all things that are moveable at the time of identification to a contract for sale” (U.C.C. Article 2-Sales ND) expended by the consumer are dictated by supply and demand. This essay will analyze the consumption patterns of natural gas as it relates to the supply and demand of said good. Natural gas consumption for generating power is increasing and consumption of natural gas for electric power has surpassed natural gas consumption “in the industrial sector since early 2009. The power sector added a significant amount of new natural gas fired generating capacity over the last decade, much of which was in the form of efficient combined-cycle units” (EIA.GOV, 2012, p.1). In years past, while coal-fired generation was inexpensive, the natural gas-fired combined-cycle units were utilized at somewhat lower rates. In the industrial sector, natural gas use rose in 2010 and 2011, reversing a trend of declining use that lasted from “the mid-1990s to 2009. Natural gas is used in the industrial sector and manufacturing sub-sector for process heating, steam generation, onsite electricity generation, space heating, and petrochemical processing” (EIA.GOV, 2012, p.3). The descending trend in natural gas prices has lessened the cost of essential input for many commercial...
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...familiar with fluctuating prices of gasoline at the pump. Why does this happen? Research the recent history of gasoline pricing in your area, and attempt to relate any fluctuations you observe to documented supply and demand factors outlined in our book. Be sure to cite any references used. Fluctuating gas prices are caused by a number of factors. The combination of the price of crude oil and the cost of producing and marketing gasoline have greatly impacted the fluctuation of gas prices that we experience on a daily basis. Crude oil prices are determined by worldwide supply and demand, with significant influence by the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) as they determine how much oil to produce and sell to other countries. The more crude oil OPEC chooses to produce and release, the lower the price. With an increase in worldwide demand for oil, including unexpected demand growth in China, India, and other fast developing nations. These nations have experienced a tremendous growth in the number of citizens who have access to automobiles, and their billion-person populations have a strong impact on the amount of crude oil needed in those parts of the world. Seasonal changes can have a serious impact on gas prices as well. Gas prices increase greatly during the summer and holiday seasons because American’s travel increases during these times. For example, the American gas demand increases by 5% in the summer season, resulting in higher gas prices during these times...
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...Economics (ECF1110D) The Oil and Gas sector includes the oil and gas extraction industry as well as petroleum refining. The United States is the world's third-largest petroleum producer, with more than 500,000 producing wells and approximately 4,000 oil and natural gas platforms operating in U.S. waters. Together, oil and gas supply 65 percent of U.S. energy. The nation's 144 refineries process more than 17 million barrels of crude oil every day. Oil and gas production facilities include 16,000 establishments with a value of shipments of $134 billion. Natural gas is seen as a good source of electricity supply for a number of economic, operational and environmental reasons: it is low-risk (technically and financially); lower carbon relative to other fossil fuels; and gas plants can be built relatively quickly in around two years, unlike nuclear facilities, which can take much longer. (“Oil and Gas”, n.d.) Oil prices have risen while natural gas prices have soared. Using the supply and demand models, this essay analyzes the change in price from an economic point of view. The price of oil rose 1 percent Thursday as stockpiles declined and new indications that demand is rising in the U.S., the world's largest crude consumer. The price of natural gas soared nearly 5 percent to close at $4.46 per thousand cubic feet — the highest price since July of 2011 — after the government reported a huge draw in supplies, the result of cold temperatures across...
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...Gasoline Problem Gas prices are constantly fluctuating with reviewing the text we see where the United States has depended on the Middle East to purchase the crude oil to manufacture the gas needed to fuel our cars. (Stone, 2007) It was evident that there were issues during the years of 2006 and 2007 when we seen the biggest rise in gas at that time there was not much we could do we needed to purchase the gas to use for everyday functionality throughout the United States we seen here in the state of Florida (Jacksonville) particularly that the prices went from $2.10per gallon to an all time high of $3.06 this increase was not gradual it was almost overnight when this increase was a period just about a month. This tended to come from some events that occurred in the following countries Mexico, Iran, Iraq, Israel, India, and North Korea that have energy markets on edge and the crude oil prices were heavily elevated at that time. (Jacksonville Bussiness Jornal, 2006). When looking at recent information that has been collected on gasoline prices we tend to look at earlier month May 2011, Jacksonville Florida was getting near the $4.00 per gallon with that we then seen a drop in prices from $4.00 down to $3.85. Typically this is when the summer driving season is starting and the elasticity for fuel starts to rise and continues to do so along with that need for gas the prices rise along with it. This is the typical use of economic terms of “supply and demand.” You start to look...
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...Why Gas Prices are higher in California than in other Parts of US English 123 James L Hicks Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Abstract The rising gasoline and oil prices have become a global concern since petroleum has many uses around the world and yet its prices have continued rising for the last sixty years. This paper sought to find out why gas prices are higher in California than in other parts of America. The literature reviewed showed that West gasoline market dominated by California is defined by tight balance between supply and demand. Other factors found to be contributing the escalating gas price in California include isolation of the state from other refining centers, market conditions including international demand, Wall Street speculation, poor policies leading to uncontrolled oil cartels, decline of oil production during technical failure, political interferences, and increasing prices of crude oil due to demand forces. Despite there being no quick solution to the challenge, temporary measures such as efficient use of the available resource while looking for alternative cheaper source of energy could alleviate the challenge. Why Gas Prices are Higher in California than in Other Parts of US The Rising gasoline and oil prices have today become a world concern (Garrington, 2012). More concerns are raised considering that petroleum is an important product whose price continues escalating for the last sixty...
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...……………………………………………………………………………….. | 3 | Determinants of Demand, Supply …………………………………………………………………….. | 4 | Relevant Data ………………………………………………………………………………………….. | 7 | Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………. | 9 | Economic Justification ……………………………………………………………………………….. | 9 | References …………………………………………………………………………………………….. | 11 | Introduction Overview Cousin Edgar needs to understand/decide if he should invest in buying two gas stations. He must consider the high costs of pursuing this idea on business and to try to recover his costs quickly. If the cost of gasoline is taken as a measuring rod then he needs to understand if he can earn enough to recover the costs of investing. Starting a gas station business can be one of the best decisions Cousin Edgar can make as an entrepreneur. He can either set up new gas stations or buy gas stations for sale. If he decides to buy one then he must have some knowledge about how to buy a gas station and if he is planning to set up new gas stations on his own then he is going to need to do some serious research as to how he can go from start to launch. He needs to consider doing lots of research and checking out numerous gas stations for sale before starting up. One of the first steps is to choose a location and find a property. It is important to find a location with the necessary driver demand for fuel and convenience store items is probably the most vital step. Gas station requires a high start-up costs and operating costs...
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...It seems like gas prices change on a daily basis for the better or for worse. I spent the week studying the gas prices in my area as I drove by different gas stations. It’s amazing how the prices can different from area to area, company to company, and even the same company but just a mile few miles apart. The simplest answer is supply and demand but what actually goes into the decision making part of what gas prices should be? Research shows that 50% of the price of gas is based on the price of crude oil. This is what is refined and turned into gasoline. (Energy: demand vs. supply) Companies have to purchase crude oil to make into gasoline. This cost of purchasing the oil and refining it is then passed down to the customer. As the demand for crude oil or gas goes down, so do the prices. This can happen during recessions or when people travel less. As the demand increases, prices can go up, like during the summer when consumers travel more. Location can also contribute to the price of gas. Some locations can tend to have lower prices because of competition. They’re considered perfect competitive firms because they have to have the best price for the customer to want to come in and purchase their gas. I usually use the Safeway gas pumps instead of going across the street to the Arco station because I can receive a discount but the price is usually always three to five cents less than the Arco station. As I continue to drive to work, I noticed only one gas station was within...
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