Perspective Regarding Gas Prices

I can think of a few plausible explanations, any of which -- alone or in combination -- easily explain that.

-In 1973-1974, most all consumer gasolines were leaded. It's less expensive to make leaded gasoline of a given octane rating than it is to make unleaded.

-In 1973-4 and 1979, gasoline was permitted to be a great deal dirtier (per se) than it is now, and it didn't have to contain any detergent additives. Now, it is legally required to contain less of a great many consbreastuents, from Sulphur to aliphatics to gums, and is legally required to carry detergent additives. The additional refining and the additives add to the production cost.

-In 1973-4 and 1979, the only gasoline formula requirement differences for different parts of North America were to do with ambient temperatures (summer vs. winter gas) and albreastudes above sea level (lower octane required at high albreastude). Now, there are numerous different highly localized and legally-mandatory formulation requirements that make it impossible to sell the same gasoline in adjoining counties or states, let alone across the entire continent. This has driven the costs of refining and distribution WAY up, since gasoline must be refined in smaller batches and distributed exclusively to very much more specific regions. Most of these new formulations are more difficult to refine, and most of them are less efficient to refine (need more crude to yield a gallon of gasoline), further driving up the price.

-Oil companies are greedy.