Good Question: The price of gas that’s "made in America"

ROCHESTER N.Y. (WHEC) — How about we answer a good question about gas prices. I’ve heard from several people recently complaining about what it cost to fill up at one gas station chain in particular.

One viewer says:

• If Kwik Fill is American-made, then why are we not paying lower prices at the pump?

Another writes:

• The advertising on TV suggests that Kwik Fill fuel is made in America with American crude, which would lead one to believe that it should not cost as much to make as other brands using foreign oil. If this is the case why are we still paying $4.29 per gallon or are the ads misleading?

The company has a commercial airing that states:

• “Kwik Fill gasoline is made right here in America. United Refining Company who operates Kwik Fill, refines its gasoline from North American crude oil in Warren, Pennsylvania.”

So if the company does not use overseas crude oil to make its branded fuels, why are the prices the same as others?

Kwik Fill addresses just that on its website:

• “This is a great question and one that we get asked often. The short answer is that the crude oil we buy is sold to us at an internationally traded commodity price that is set globally. Where (or when) that oil came out of the ground has no bearing on the price per barrel. Many people assume that North American crude oil would cost less than overseas oil, but that is not the case. When you buy United Refining Company fuels at Kwik Fill, you are buying a product refined right here in the United States, and your money is not going overseas. That helps the 2500 employees in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, which helps the communities in which they live. And that helps keep America strong.”

Remember, you can always compare gas prices before you head out. We have Rochester area gas prices on our website through GasBuddy, a company that surveys gas prices.