Spring could bring $4 gallons of gas to the U.S.

Well, with the $100 price limit on a barrel of oil broken last week (if only for a minute and then most likely by one guy with an inferiority complex), this is as good a time as any to prepare Americans for the possibility of $4 gallons of gas come springtime. That's what Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer Michael Kanell has done with this article, and he breaks down the reasons why - even though the $100 price was only briefly reached - gas prices don't look to be coming down any time soon. Regular readers (and anyone with some common sense) can figure out why: demand for oil continues to rise while getting the stuff out of the ground gets harder and more expensive. Oil isn't like diamonds, after all, and we certainly seem to be running out of the stuff. Even though gas prices won't necessarily march methodically up to $4 a gallon (there could be dips, Kanell writes), "gas prices will almost certainly keep rising - but perhaps not dramatically, since demand for gasoline in winter is generally at an ebb." So, come spring and the start of the typical busy season for driving, get ready for sticker shock at the pump. Even with this warning, I'm sure the shock will be unavoidable.

[Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution]