David, I believe it was the commodities brokers who drove the price up, and the oil companies just benefited from it. It's the same if the guys buying and selling wheat drive the price to double. They bought futures at $5.00 a bushel and sold it at $10.00 so they make money, and the wheat farmers get paid a higher price for their crop. Of course it's more complicated than that, but that's the Readers Digest version.
I just paid $1.67 a gallon last night, and it wasn't the cheapest place in the area.
Arlie, are you home for the holidays?
Steve