Since most of our readers have diesel fuel trucks, it’s no surprise that diesel fuel prices are a big concern for companies. The DOE predicts that this year overall diesel fuel prices will be 10 cents cheaper, than in 2012 when they averaged $3.97 a gallon. Let’s not forget that $3.97 a gallon for diesel fuel was not a flat line on your fleet fuel card.
As a matter affect it probably gave most CFO’s and fleet managers a headache. This is the way diesel fuel prices bounced around in 2012.
- January $3.78
- April $4.14
- July $3.64
- September $4.13
- December $3.91
And this is for DOE national diesel fuel prices, so regionally the spreads on prices were greater in most cases.
In 2013, diesel fuel prices will probably start the year climbing similar to 2012. Crude oil is trading near $98 a barrel and inventory levels for diesel fuel are at lower levels than this time last year. Old man winter is keeping a strong demand for heating oil in the Northeast in check.
If we also throw onto your fuel management program that increasing Middle East tensions in Syria are helping the fleet fuel market to move north in fears of supply interruptions. Look for the rest of this 1st quarter to be an upward bump in diesel fuel prices.
As the year goes forward, most believe it will look a lot like 2012. Certainly not flat, so it will give your fuel manager a lot of work to do but no one sees diesel fuel pricing busting through $4.25. Of course its fleet fuel prices and if it was easy to predict, we would all be rich.
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