Fuel At £1 A Litre?

[Parthiban]

Rant over, reply when you know what you're talking about.

Sorry, think I obviously hit a nerve with that one. Now it might be possible that I don't know what I'm talking about, very possible in fact, but as such a public company, what people see is how a company is portrayed. Therefore, a company that clearly charges more for their fuel than anyone else, when it isn't even a superior product, is one that already starts to get on my nerves. I know its easy for them to get away with it because of all the corporate users, and I believe ambulances, etc, also use BP (although that may be incorrect)

Finally, and what was my main point with that post, was that advert about doing our bit for the environment . If they believe that BP ultimate is much cleaner than normal unleaded, and were really a decent company with good intentions, they would sell Ultimate at the same price as unleaded so people would start using it. That way they would actually be making an difference to the environment, instead of pretending they are.

I absolutely cannot stand it when a company that makes such massive profits tries to guilt me into giving them more money pretending its to help the environment.

That was my main point with that post, and please let me know if you have any defence for that statement, and that statement alone, because that was all I was talking about

[Ellz]

Parents just got back from egypt and it was about 9p for unleaded, shows roughly how much is tax, but also on how much we are willing to pay for it as a nessesary part of our lives.

I also dont think the fuel companies make there billions from such countries, they make it from mugs like us.

[Tango]

I absolutely cannot stand it when a company that makes such massive profits tries to guilt me into giving them more money pretending its to help the environment.

That was my main point with that post, and please let me know if you have any defence for that statement, and that statement alone, because that was all I was talking about

UK prices are the 5th highest in Europe, but over 67% of that is government taxation so that leaves under 33 pence per litre to cover the petrol stations profit margin, which runs about 4.8p-5.3p per litre (used to be 7p litre way back in '95). So the remaining (approximately 28 pence per litre) is left to cover the cost of the oil majors exploration and production, transportation, refining, and distribution, and none of that is cheap. then there's the tax that the Government puts on the Oil Company profits!

Price per barrel went up to $70 for the first time ever today, and some pessimists say it could go to $100 per barrel.This is a response to world events and the gamble that demand will outstrip supply (it's a commodity after all). The usual reaction to this is for the government to put even more tax on the Oil Companies windfall.

If there's any good news at all in this, it's that the increased price is an incentive for more captital expenditure to be put into new technology and resource to improve the efficiency of oil recovery and also recover oil and gas from more difficult locations, which means you'll still be able to run your Lexus for the forseeable future.

If you want to complain about the price you pay for petrol I suggest you take it to your local MP, The real highwaymen in this are the Government who exploit the motorist on the pretence that overtaxing energy will make us all go back to riding bicycles or investing in a Prius :D

.

[MacRS200]

Could not agree more Tango.

Have a look HERE for rates of duty. Just scroll down a bit and all will be revealed. And remember that is before VAT gets added on, yes you pay VAT on the duty.

[Mr Morse]

And until Obasanjo sorts out the Niger Delta and Bush gets his act together with Eyeeerak and Eyeeeran it ain't gonna come down!

[Tango]

And until Obasanjo sorts out the Niger Delta and Bush gets his act together with Eyeeerak and Eyeeeran it ain't gonna come down!

Welcome back Michael...glad of some more oilfield trash support as feeling outnumbered

[Mr Morse]

And until Obasanjo sorts out the Niger Delta and Bush gets his act together with Eyeeerak and Eyeeeran it ain't gonna come down!

Welcome back Michael...glad of some more oilfield trash support as feeling outnumbered

I felt that after all the messages of support, that it would have been ignorant not to.... :winky:

SLIPS!

[MacRS200]

I'm not on your case all the time Tango, see above :D

[Tango]

I'm not on your case all the time Tango, see above :D

Hey Mac I know. It's a complex issue, and I sympathise with everyone who has to pay such outrageous prices in Europe (including myself) when some of the biggest guzzlers of the stuff are complaining about paying less than 40 pence a litre. :tsktsk: .

Oil companies are easy targets, but compared to some retailers, like a well known fizzy drink company , the profits are relatively small.

[Parthiban]

If you want to complain about the price you pay for petrol I suggest you take it to your local MP, The real highwaymen in this are the Government who exploit the motorist on the pretence that overtaxing energy will make us all go back to riding bicycles or investing in a Prius :D .

Sorry mate, I think I've given you the wrong impression - I'm not in any way defending the government, I know its mostly tax, and to be honest don't get me started on all that cos there's a whole other discussion waiting to happen

My point was purely about BP among the other fuel companies. As an example, I used one of those petrol price websites earlier today and was not surprised with what I found:

Cheapest unleaded within 5 mile radius: Shell @ 92.9p

Most expensive unleaded within 5 mile radius: BP @ 96.9p

Cheapest super unleaded within 5 mile radius: Esso @ 96.9p

Most expensive super unleaded within 5 mile radius: BP @ 103.9p :o

(Just for comparison, my local Shell sells optimax, a far superior fuel @ 98.8p)

Now we all know, that no one can blame the government as to why BP is so much more expensive than everyone else in the area. Shell and BP are both massive oil companies, yet how can Shell sell the cheapest fuel in the area, and BP sell the most expensive fuel in the area ;)

And leaving all this aside, it still gives them absolutely no right to try to guilt people into thinking that they'd be doing the environment a favour if they used BP Ultimate, and pay BP a hefty premium for the privilege - I also note that no one has made any comment on this still, but I know that's because I'm right :P

[Mr Morse]

So.....WTF?

If BP or Hell or anyone else can sell fuel at a premium price it's you the punter who is the mug for buying it!

[Parthiban]

So.....WTF?

If BP or Hell or anyone else can sell fuel at a premium price it's you the punter who is the mug for buying it!

Exactly! I'm glad someone has finally understood what I've been trying so hard to say! :duh:

Good to have you back Mike! :D

[Tango]

So.....WTF?

If BP or Hell or anyone else can sell fuel at a premium price it's you the punter who is the mug for buying it!

Exactly! I'm glad someone has finally understood what I've been trying so hard to say! :duh:

Good to have you back Mike! :D

BP have higher overheads, they can't be saving the environment for free . They also employ expensive consultants :winky: .

[Mr Morse]

But does anyfeckinone actually buy a Lexus because they want +40mpg

Get real and buy a Pug oil burner

[Tango]

....as long as you don't want one built in the UK

[lexus boy]

Ok just read that through

Someone said BP wasnt corrupt....how wrong you are...

But at the end of the day people need fuel to get around, therefore if they can sell it for that price dont well blame them. It is a business after all

[Tango]

Oh, right and you have experience and evidence of BP corruption in foreign governments at the grand age of what 22?

[lexus boy]

yes why?

and as you are older than me that means you are obviously a much wiser and more knowledgable person than I am....obvioiusly not by pre judging someone on their age.

Do a little research and go a find out about the corruption.

I know this first hand from the CEO as he is good friends with a friend of mine.

[maneesh]

Whether it's BP, Shell or Tesco, their aim is not to sell clean fuels or the best fuel. Their aim is profit maximisation, i.e. gotta please those shareholders! If selling cleaner fuels or the best quality fuels helps them maximise their profits, then they will go down that route. :winky:

I used to work in marketing, and all that expensive research into why customers chose to shop at certain stores/petrol stations resulted in the most stunning finding ever: convenience. Yes, that's right. The majority of consumers choose to purchase staple goods (bread, milk, petrol etc) at whatever store is easiest to get to on their route. Hard to believe but not every motorist is as passionate as us lot! Perhaps BP can charge more than others, simply because it's locations are considered more "prime", and thus they know they will get a certain level of customers simply because their sites are in busy locations. I'm sure they will have build econometric models to estimate how price elastic customers are. I know that major supermarkets used to charge different prices in different parts of the UK for the SAME product, all based upon how much local customers were willing to pay for it (as well as taking into account local competition).

Anyway, didn't Rudolf Diesel (inventor of diesel engine) originally run his engine off peanut oil? He designed the engine for use in poorer parts of the world.

[Tango]

yes why?

and as you are older than me that means you are obviously a much wiser and more knowledgable person than I am....obvioiusly not by pre judging someone on their age.

Do a little research and go a find out about the corruption.

I know this first hand from the CEO as he is good friends with a friend of mine.

..I didn't know he had any, thanks for the information.

[Lexmas]

I have also heard firsthand of some corruption within BP.

It is no surprise, however, when you think of the countries some of their major operations are exporting the oil from. Not to do various countries an injustice, but all companies that export oil from third world countries will inevitably have to join the corruption circle. It would be impossible to obtain government permission, logistics etc.. without the odd bribe here and there. That is the way of the world.

This is not defending oil companies that do overcharge BTW. Although I will say that certain fizzy drinks companies make bigger profits and are far more aggressive in their business strategies, than the oil companies.

[Tango]

I never said it was completely clean, only that BP was the most transparent in their dealings with corrupt governments.

[Mr Morse]

2005 data for the World's biggest companies. It should come as no surprise that 5 are oil companies.......but there are also 5 motor manufacturers in there including the parent of Lexus!

Rank Company Revenue Profit

1 Wal-Mart Stores 287,989.0 10,267.0

2 BP 285,059.0 15,371.0

3 Exxon Mobil 270,772.0 25,330.0

4 Royal Dutch/Shell 268,690.0 18,183.0

5 General Motors 193,517.0 2,805.0

6 DaimlerChrysler 176,687.5 3,067.1

7 Toyota Motor 172,616.3 10,898.2

8 Ford Motor 172,233.0 3,487.0

9 General Electric 152,866.0 16,819.0

10 Total 152,609.5 11,955.0

11 ChevronTexaco 147,967.0 13,328.0

12 ConocoPhillips 121,663.0 8,129.0

13 AXA 121,606.3 3,133.0

14 Allianz 118,937.2 2,735.0

15 Volkswagen 110,648.7 842.0

16 Citigroup 108,276.0 17,046.0

17 ING Group 105,886.4 7,422.8

18 Nippon T&T 100,545.3 6,608.0

19 American Intl. 97,987.0 9,731.0

20 IBM 96,293.0 8,430.0

I never said it was completely clean, only that BP was the most transparent in their dealings with corrupt governments.

There is a recent report circling around that investigated the world's top 16 biggest oil companies in terms of corruption, transparency etc.......BP came out tops

[Habeeb]

Every major Multi national corporation has corruption, dodgy deals, bribery, socially and ethically irresponsible policies etc. It is a fact of life. There is nothing you can do. All major banks, and even governments participate in some very questionable activities. what it comes down to, is if you the customer are willing to buy products eg: trainers which you know are made in a sweatshop in Indonesia by 5 year old kids and cost about £2 to make but yet still sell for £120+ in the U.k and are even endorsed by celebrities and stars. The profitability and size of the company has nothing to do with its ethics. Those figures and names of companies quoted will vary depending on which source you use and what methods they apply to calculate profits and size of the company. There have been scandals from VW to Enron to CSFB, to Parmalat. The question is are you willing to buy from them? I doubt very much that one company's fuel is any greener than another company's. Its personal choice, if you are willing to pay for it then they can justify charging for it.

[lelandv]

There is a recent report circling around that investigated the world's top 16 biggest oil companies in terms of corruption, transparency etc.......BP came out tops

Tops in corruption, or tops in transparency? Just a subtle difference there ;) ;) ;)

L.