Despite declining gas prices throughout the summer, Ames and the rest of the nation will once again be paying close to $2 a gallon when they reach for the pump this fall.

A number of factors can impact gasoline prices, said John Cook, director of the Petroleum Division of the U.S. Department of Energy. Most price movements can be explained as normal market behavior, he said.

Tight crude oil markets resulting in low petroleum inventories, a tight spring gasoline supply-and-demand balance, extensive refinery maintenance and unplanned outages and dependence on distant supplies are some of the major reasons for gas price movements, Cook said.

“When these factors come together just as they did last year, rapid price run-ups can occur,” he said in his June 14 address to the Committee on Government Reform.

There isn’t enough petroleum to meet the full needs of every consumer, causing oil prices to be so high, said Herman Quirmbach, associate professor of economics. He said cases concerning price fluctuation are always cases of supply and demand.

“Of course it is a supply and demand issue – everything in economics is,” he said, “but I think you need to look at other factors that could be affecting the industry.”

Quirmbach, who also serves on the Ames City Council, said the refinery capacity in this country seems pretty tight right now. Any disruption in refinery production may cause volatility in the prices, he said.

The increased gas prices may cause people to look for alternate methods of transportation, Quirmbach said.

“With the city council being in partnership with CyRide, we would always like to see more passengers,” he said. “We have extended routes and made service improvements, so with gas prices continuing to rise, one would expect some people to substitute public transportation for driving.”

Richard Lathrum, sophomore in agricultural business, said gas prices won’t affect the time he spends behind the wheel.

“When gas prices go up one place, they go up everywhere else, so I don’t understand the reason why people should try to fight it,” he said. “Mostly, I think people are just looking for a reason to complain.”

Isaac Olsen, senior in exercise and sport science, said he doesn’t believe there is any correlation between the return of the students and the sudden jump in gas prices.

“Gas prices change all the time, and I doubt the individual stations have any control over the prices anyway,” he said. “I don’t think people will stop driving, because if that was a legitimate threat, then gas prices wouldn’t ever get very high.”