Gas Prices by the Percentages

Graphic from source, Autos.AOL.com

Sean Hannity, of the fair-and-balanced FOX "News" is fond of claiming that only 8 cents of every dollar spent on gasoline goes to the oil companies. Or sometimes 9 cents per gallon, as cited here: “Here’s what drives me nuts. The oil companies are making about 9 cents a gallon." (source: NewsHounds.us)

I find that hard to believe, especially when you consider that (except for taxes), oil companies make a percentage at each stage of production. Take a look at this breakdown:

[Excerpt]

Crude oil -- 57%
Finding the crude oil
Getting the crude oil out of the ground
Transporting the crude oil to the refinery
Maintaining a reserve capacity of crude oil
Profit
Refining the crude oil into gasoline -- 18%
Producing special blends of gasoline to meet local clean air government regulations
Transporting the gasoline to the gas station
Profit
Selling the gasoline at a station -- 11%
Operational costs
Marketing costs
Profit
Taxes, federal and state -- 20%

Read more at: Autos.AOL.com