Why is there a price difference

[37chief]

I looked up fuel price in California. Diesel 7.25 not red. Gas 5.85. I thought diesel was easier to make, why is it so much higher? What are you paying? Stan

 

[joeysmith]

Road tax an demand

 

[MARK ROBKE]

Historically, I believe, diesel was cheaper than gas. My brother, along with others, noted that right after he bought his 2005 Duramax, diesel became higher than gas. And I remember hearing that diesel was a 'waste' product after refining gasoline, a leftover, if you will. So why is it higher at all? Maybe the low sulfur requirements, and other requirements, make it more costly to produce. Here in Kentucky, prices are not that bad yet, gas before the war was locally about 2.60-2.79. Not sure about diesel-4 something tops? Mark.

 

[NDIHC]

I looked up fuel price in California. Diesel 7.25 not red. Gas 5.85. I thought diesel was easier to make, why is it so much higher? What are you paying? Stan

Bismarck ND 3/28/2026 gas is $3.45/gallon and undyed diesel is $4.47/gallon.

 

[Mcrafty1]

All those trucks you see going all across America need diesel fuel to keep moving, lots of diesel fuel. People with diesel vehicles can avoid using as much when the price goes up...but trucks are a rolling business that needs to be operated daily or they lose revenue. I believe that's the driving force behind the price of diesel compared to gasoline these days. I could be wrong, I am occasionally.
In 1965 the price of a gallon of gasoline 0.31 cts A gallon of Kerosene which is a refined diesel was 0.17 cts.

 

[Mule Meat]

And I remember hearing that diesel was a 'waste' product after refining gasoline, a leftover, if you will. Mark.

Back in the day. Gasoline was a waste product from refining crude oil into home heating oil and kerosene. Gasoline was often discarded until it was discovered that an internal combustion engine could use it for fuel.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I looked up fuel price in California. Diesel 7.25 not red. Gas 5.85. I thought diesel was easier to make, why is it so much higher? What are you paying? Stan

A couple of things I have heard, I have no idea as to the accuracy thereof- ocean going vessels are switching to diesel fuel from heavy oil for less pollution, and the crude which works better for producing low sulfur diesel fuel is mostly imported.

 

[rustred]

All those trucks you see going all across America need diesel fuel to keep moving, lots of diesel fuel. People with diesel vehicles can avoid using as much when the price goes up...but trucks are a rolling business that needs to be operated daily or they lose revenue. I believe that's the driving force behind the price of diesel compared to gasoline these days. I could be wrong, I am occasionally.
In 1965 the price of a gallon of gasoline 0.31 cts A gallon of Kerosene which is a refined diesel was 0.17 cts.

i remember dad buying a 45 gallon barrel of gas for 11.00 in the sixties. when he got his 560 in 1967 it was dont use that w6 it burns too much gas !

 

[rustred]

Back in the day. Gasoline was a waste product from refining crude oil into home heating oil and kerosene. Gasoline was often discarded until it was discovered that an internal combustion engine could use it for fuel.

that would have been way before any of us were born, way over a 100 years ago even before the gas engine. gas and diesel comes from crude oil.

 

[casecollectorsc]

Bismarck ND 3/28/2026 gas is $3.45/gallon and undyed diesel is $4.47/gallon.

Within pennies of the same prices in Watertown SD.

 

[Vito]

All those trucks you see going all across America need diesel fuel to keep moving, lots of diesel fuel. People with diesel vehicles can avoid using as much when the price goes up...but trucks are a rolling business that needs to be operated daily or they lose revenue. I believe that's the driving force behind the price of diesel compared to gasoline these days. I could be wrong, I am occasionally.
In 1965 the price of a gallon of gasoline 0.31 cts A gallon of Kerosene which is a refined diesel was 0.17 cts.

I agree with your assessment.

Vito

 

[RBnWA]

The oil companies= We can get away with it so guess what YOUR going to pay. Any other business would get hung for ripping us off this bad. Not trying to start anything or cause problems just my humble opinion. RB

 

[37chief]

i remember dad buying a 45 gallon barrel of gas for 11.00 in the sixties. when he got his 560 in 1967 it was dont use that w6 it burns too much gas !

I remember the 60's gas prices also. Stan

 

[moresmoke]

Bismarck ND 3/28/2026 gas is $3.45/gallon and undyed diesel is $4.47/gallon.

I can buy fuel in CA for $6.40-7.20. Sterling, ND just east of Bismarck is $4.31.

The sign price at truck stops doesn’t often reflect the real price of fuel as they and the large carriers are manipulating the fuel surcharge paid to freight haulers.

That said, ultra low sulfur fuel is quite a bit more expensive to make than the diesel fuel of old. Also useage, the average semi truck has gone from 5-7.5 mpg. The average car has gone from 13-30 mpg.

 

[timcasbolt]

At least once a year I find myself reminding others that the retail price of things has very little to do with their cost.

 

[MarkB_MI]

It's largely supply and demand. Occasionally diesel will drop below gas, but here in Michigan it's almost always significantly more expensive.

In the end, a gallon of diesel and a gallon of gasoline come out of the same barrel of oil. The refinery has some control over how much of each they produce, but not a lot. So if there's a lot of demand for diesel and not so much for gas, diesel will necessarily rise in price relative to gasoline.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

Back in the day. Gasoline was a waste product from refining crude oil into home heating oil and kerosene. Gasoline was often discarded until it was discovered that an internal combustion engine could use it for fuel.

I may have had that backwards in my post! Mark.

 

[Blackhole49]

Usage. Just google the #s. In 24, the USA used +-9 MB/D (million barrels/day) gas to +- 3 MB/D diesel.

 

[MSD]

Filed up with diesel last night near Jefferson SD for $4.29 a gal at a conoco station. Sign across the road at a Casey's said $4.53. Big difference for the same product.

 

[KCTractors]

I looked up fuel price in California. Diesel 7.25 not red. Gas 5.85. I thought diesel was easier to make, why is it so much higher? What are you paying? Stan

Back in 68,69,70 & 71 I delivered gas & fuel oil to the rural areas. I changed occupations in 71, but gasoline was 29.9 for road use and fuel oil & diesel fuel 14.9 cent per gal without road use tax minimum of a hundred gals. If I had a customer with a 500 gal tank, gas or diesel, he was a big operator.