No, I consult/write software for a guy that is a supply chain management consultant for large oil multinationals. We work to optimize the supply chain to shave a few cents per gallon of cost for them. Most people have absolutely zero idea how that whole industry operates.
From my experience the (relatively) free market establishes the price of gasolines. I say relatively because there is an INSANE amount of complexity in state and federal regulations and fuel mixtures being delivered all over the place by 10000 different suppliers who buy from the multinationals.
Trust me when I say that even if they wanted to control the prices the system is too complex to be able to, really. Hell they do such crazy inneficient things as is. They do, however, make a lot of money because they sell A LOT of their product. And I mean, a boatload.
Furthermore, I suggest you include some exposure to the energy companies in your portfolio.
If I had a portfolio, I would certainly have investments in that area. Unfortunately, I wasn’t raised in a family that knew anything about stocks, and I’ve not been in a position to invest.