PENNSYLVANIA – Average retail gasoline prices in Pennsylvania have fallen 0.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.72 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,269 gas outlets in Pennsylvania.
This compares with the national average that has increased 1.8 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.65 per gallon, according to gasoline price Web site GasBuddy.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Pennsylvania during the past week, prices yesterday were 24.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 4.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago.
The national average has increased 2.6 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 3.7 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.
“The national average has stayed relatively flat for the last month, but that appears to be over, as the escalating situation in Iraq takes hold and drives crude oil and retail gasoline prices higher,” said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan.
“Motorists in some areas of the country have already seen slight price increases, and although the situation is still in its early stages, motorists should be ready for higher gasoline prices if the situation in Iraq threatens the ability of Iraq to export crude oil.”
“While the United States only receives about 300,000 barrels of Iraqi crude per day, the concern is about the other 3 million or so barrels per day that Iraq pumps, which could be at risk of disruption. It’s that perceived threat that may cause the national average this week to rise 3-6 cents per gallon. The bigger picture here is that the timing of the situation in Iraq could threaten the possibility that motorists see lower prices this summer, as we had anticipated in our much earlier forecasts,” DeHaan said.
About GasBuddy
GasBuddy operates PennsylvaniaGasPrices.com and more than 250 similar Web sites that track gasoline prices at more than 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada. In addition, GasBuddy offers a free smartphone app, which has been downloaded more than 25 million times to help motorists find the lowest gasoline prices in their area.