It has become standard for tough questions to be asked of oil companies when the price of petrol rises or falls dramatically.

Kiwis should have more disposable cash as petrol prices fall around the country, but consumer groups say the amount we fork out at the pumps should be lower still.

Petrol prices dropped for the 12th successive time this week and even better news appears to lie ahead for holiday motorists.

The sharp fall in oil prices is set to continue benefiting consumers but could delay exploration projects around New Zealand.

Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon expects low oil prices to stimulate demand for travel but for their beneficial effect on the airline's fuel bill to be muted by the fall in the New Zealand dollar.

Lower petrol prices contributed to a 0.1 per cent fall in the amount consumers charged to electronic cards last month.

Lower fuel prices are compounding the longest commodity slump in a generation.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce says fuel prices falling more quickly than the Australian dollar are helping revive the airline's international division but he's not putting a date on when it will be out of financial trouble.

New Zealand-founded LanzaTech's quest to commercialise its biofuel has taken another step with one of the world's biggest banks.

How's this for fuel economy? A Mercedes has travelled 1968 kilometres from North Africa to England without having to refuel - and still had another 160km in it.

The high New Zealand dollar is insulating this country from rising crude oil prices that have spurred fears for the global economic recovery.

Petrol prices are set to rise next week to their second highest level ever - thanks to a Government tax hike.

Motorists should brace themselves for petrol rising another three cents per litre, while drivers of light vehicles run on diesel will face about a 10 per cent rise.

Entrants in the annual EECA Awards being presented tomorrow can claim credit for energy savings equivalent to the annual power use of two Hamilton-sized cities.

A service station was forced to close when a driver was allegedly attacked by those he was transporting after an argument over who would pay.

Petrol prices are heading down towards the $2 mark with BP announcing a 3c price cut today as international oil prices tumble.

The major oil companies say they are monitoring dropping commodity prices daily.

Petrol prices have jumped 11 cents and are now just 2 cents shy of the highest price ever recorded, latest figures show.

Get used to high petrol prices - that's the stark warning for New Zealand motorists from an expert on global energy politics.

The Automobile Association believes motorists have good reason to feel ripped off when they fill up with gas.

The Government has been accused of being a Christmas Scrooge and increasing petrol prices in order to protect its promise to get back into surplus in 2014-15.