Eye-watering gas prices on Tinian, Rota

Tinian’s sole fuel provider, Mobil Oil Marianas, recently raised its prices, bringing Tinian’s regular fuel up to $7.30 a gallon. (Kimberly B. Esmores)

TINIAN—Saipan’s residents are most assuredly suffering from the grip of increasingly expensive gas prices and their spillover effect on groceries, rent, and utilities, among others. But the situation of its neighbors on Tinian and Rota is even more dire these days, with gas prices topping $7 a gallon.

With the recent surge in local gas prices and the international price of crude oil surging past $110 a barrel last Wednesday, Rota and Tinian’s gas prices are reaching all-time high levels, with Tinian’s prices reaching the highest it’s ever been in years.

As of yesterday, Mobil Oil Marianas on Tinian raised its gas prices by 10 cents, raising the price of regular fuel to a whopping $7.30, the highest it has ever been. The cost for a gallon of diesel on Tinian also went up by 15 cents, with Mobil now charging $7.49 per gallon.

Meanwhile, gas prices on Rota have also increased, with regular fuel now at $7.04 per gallon. That is, if you pay in cash. The price goes up to $8.09 a gallon if you pay with a credit card. The price for diesel on Rota has also increased to an astonishing $9.47 per gallon, nearly double the price of diesel on Saipan. That price goes up to an eye-popping $10.22 a gallon if you use a credit card.

According to multiple Tinian residents, at $7.30 a gallon of regular fuel, gas prices have never been higher for an island that only has one Mobil gas station.

“We’ve never gone beyond the $7 mark. This is the highest it’s ever been,” a long-time Mobil gas attendant said.

According to another Tinian resident, it is really upsetting that Tinian’s gas prices are so high but it makes sense as their supply comes from Saipan which also has to charge extra for shipment.

“It’s really bad. Most people can barely fill up their tanks with how high these prices are. But it’s not like we can do anything about it because we have to get our supply from Saipan, which is also experiencing a steady increase in fuel prices,” she said.

However, for the most part, Tinian residents remain in high spirits despite the inflation they are currently experiencing.

“We have a lot of development going on here on Tinian. I understand fuel prices are really high right now, but I’m hopeful that soon, our island will be able get fuel shipped directly to us to possibly lower our fuel prices,” he said.

Last Tuesday, oil companies on Saipan led the way in terms of increasing gas prices, with Mobil hiking up its Extra fuel from $ 5.46 a gallon to $5.56. Mobil also increased its Supreme fuel from $5.91 to $6.01 a gallon. The local oil company also increased its Diesel prices to $5.93 per gallon.

Both U.S. and international benchmark crude oil pushed prices up as investors are worried about the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, one of the world’s largest energy suppliers.