Oklahoma Oil Quality?

[Questor]

This is probably a really strange one... but recently on a road trip I was noticing how gas prices are so much higher in other states... even states that have relatively low gas taxes. I've always heard that it has to do with the supply of oil in our region, but actually wonder if it might not be a quality issue. I was noticing that my car was getting quite a lot better mileage in other states (my car has a digital readout that keeps track of this). Now I have noticed it definitely is affected by ethanol if it is added to gas, but in theory this was not the case as I always try to steer clear of it.

This made me wonder if maybe the oil that we are receiving in Oklahoma is somehow "dirtier" and if this isn't why it is cheaper, and if this might affect fuel efficiency? At the time it seemed like a pretty reasonable correlation.

I was wondering if we have any oil experts out there that might know the answer to this? Coincidence or fact?

[ou48A]

This is probably a really strange one... but recently on a road trip I was noticing how gas prices are so much higher in other states... even states that have relatively low gas taxes. I've always heard that it has to do with the supply of oil in our region, but actually wonder if it might not be a quality issue. I was noticing that my car was getting quite a lot better mileage in other states (my car has a digital readout that keeps track of this). Now I have noticed it definitely is affected by ethanol if it is added to gas, but in theory this was not the case as I always try to steer clear of it.

This made me wonder if maybe the oil that we are receiving in Oklahoma is somehow "dirtier" and if this isn't why it is cheaper, and if this might affect fuel efficiency? At the time it seemed like a pretty reasonable correlation.

I was wondering if we have any oil experts out there that might know the answer to this? Coincidence or fact?

Not an expert, but I will give you an opinion.

It’s a matter of economics and the fact that we have a well-supplied market of mid-continent crude that is of generally good quality. + We still have refineries that help lower our shipping cost.

The Cushing oil terminal is a huge asset to our state; it helps keep our prices lower. Right now there is a huge oil glut in Cushing with most of it coming from the Bakken. They need more pipeline capacity.

It’s ashamed that we haven’t done more to add value to the raw crude in our state by making products with it. We could add thousands of great high wage jobs.