Motorists Sue Over 'Hot' Fuel

i_like_spam writes "Motorists in 13 states have filed lawsuits against big oil companies and gas retailers alleging unfair pricing practices related to fuel-pumping temperatures. From an industry standard developed in the 1920's, the price for a gallon of gasoline is based on the density of the fuel at a temperature of 60 degress F. A gallon of gas at higher temperatures is less dense, and therefore contains less energy. The lawsuits claim additional costs of 3 to 9 cents per gallon without temperature adjustments. The fuel industry claims that the costs of installing temerature-adjustment sensors on every pump would be prohibitively high. These sensors are already installed in Canada, however, where the colder temperatures favor consumers."

Comments

Should be quite easy to do

[EmbeddedJanitor]

Gas is mainly stored underground in reasonably stable temperatures. A daily measurement should be good enough.

Sure there's a small amount of gas (probably less than half a gallon) above ground in the pump that will warm and cool relatively quickly but since it is only half a gallon who really cares?

Re:Congressional testimony on Hot Fuels

[Anonymous Coward]

Finally, were talking a couple of percent difference in energy per gallon here. Don't people suppose that their cars efficiency might also vary by a several percent with ambient temperature?

People in the United States buy around 350,000,000 gallons of gas every day. Even if the temperature difference accounts for only one tenth of a percent, that's about 350,000 gallons a day. Or $1.1 million a day at $3.15 a gallon. Pocket change to an oil company, but most people would appreciate the slightly lower gas prices.

Go Higher Gas Prices!

[stewbacca]

I'm I the only American on the planet rooting for higher gas prices in the US? Higher gas equals less SUVs and trucks which equals less congestion. I live in England now, and $7.50 gallon gas is the norm. Get over yourselves already America.

Re:Congressional testimony on Hot Fuels

[ptbarnett]

This is precisely because the proper metric for the determination of the energy content of a fuel payload is the mass of the fuel rather than the volume of the fuel.

No, it's because the weight of the fuel is a significant factor in calculating the gross weight and the center of gravity of the aircraft.

Re:Congressional testimony on Hot Fuels

[node 3]

I find myself extremely skeptical. fuel tanks are usualy fairly far underground. buried tanks are going to be fairly near isothermal and the ambient temperature is not going to change the temp very much on it's short trip to the tank. The question isn't whether the temperature stays the same, but whether the temperature the gallon is measured at matches a reliable, established, standard, which TFA claims it doesn't.

If anyone is getting ripped by this, it's the independent fuel stations. In other words: if someone else is getting ripped off worse, then the person getting ripped off less can't complain?

Finally, were talking a couple of percent difference in energy per gallon here. Don't people suppose that their cars efficiency might also vary by a several percent with ambient temperature? So, then it's perfectly fine to be overcharged so long as something entirely separate affects efficiency after the sale?

Finally, the station sells gas by the gallon not by the BTU. No one said it was. What is claimed is that it's sold by the gallon, with the gallon being defined as at a certain temperature. Or do you buy your produce "by the pound", but allow the grocer to define the gravity it's measured against?

Tell you what, if you *truly* believe your arguments are sound, I'll sell you pound of gold (based on Jupiter's gravity), measured at prices defined against Earth gravity. You shan't complain because I'll sell the same amount of gold to someone else at Moon-measured pounds. And just to be fair, I'll measure the gold I sell you at a constant, "isojupiterpound" level. And even if you *do* think you still have grounds to complain, I'll remind you that there are other factors that will affect the value of the gold you're buying, not just the gravity I measure the pound against. Besides, you're buying by the pound, not the gram, and even if I get to choose the gravity, these measurements are all pounds, aren't they?