Oil companies don't make a lot per gallon, less than 8 cents per is the usually reported number, similar to what the final seller makes. Obviously, the huge profits are due to volume. There are plenty of other products that have much higher margins and much more expensive by volume, even simple daily use things like soft drinks and even some "brand name" bottled water. That said people are far more aware of fuel prices for two reasons, it is an economically necessary purchase for most people in the US and it has a knock on effect of prices of almost everything we consume.
We have homes in two states and in one most people hate when gas prices move up even a little, in the other a huge portion of the state loves it. In LA the O&G "plant baws" dream about $120 a barrel crude so they can get that new F350 Platinum with a brand new set of truck nutz to hang off the back. < possibly a very narrow stereotype that one is likely not to recognize unless they have interactions with "plant baws" or happen to watch "Refined" on youtube. BTW Refined is NSFW, well unless your work is sitting in a plant control room cooking gumbo and watching youtube instead of filling out work orders.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.