Andy Close
Gas prices are seven cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.822 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average: $3.822
Average price during the week of April 10, 2023: $3.757
Average price during the week of April 18, 2022: $4.204
Warren County drivers are paying an average of $3.799 a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Forest County drivers are paying an average of $3.824 a gallon for regular unleaded.
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
$3.791 Altoona
$3.876 Beaver
$3.791 Bradford
$3.780 Brookville
$3.885 Butler
$3.783 Clarion
$3.720 DuBois
$3.781 Erie
$3.877 Greensburg
$3.892 Indiana
$3.816 Jeannette
$3.892 Kittanning
$3.897 Latrobe
$3.787 Meadville
$3.824 Mercer
$3.717 New Castle
$3.881 New Kensington
$3.776 Oil City
$3.838 Pittsburgh
$3.799 Sharon
$3.882 Uniontown
$3.799 Warren
$3.830 Washington
Trend Analysis:
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline rose 11 cents over the last week to hit $3.67. The main culprit is the cost of oil, gasoline’s main ingredient. Prices have hovered in the low $80’s per barrel for about two weeks after spending much of March around $70 per barrel. The national average has risen daily since March 29. Today’s average of 3.67 is 22 cents more than a month ago but 41 cents less than a year ago.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand decreased from 9.3 to 8.94 million barrels per day last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks dropped slightly by 400,000 barrels to 222.2 million barrels. Lower demand would typically push pump prices down; instead, elevated oil prices have pushed them higher.
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by $1.73 to settle at $83.26. Oil prices increased after the U.S. Labor Department said the U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% in March, a lower rise than the market expected. Additionally, the EIA reported that total domestic commercial crude inventories increased by 500,000 barrels to 470.5 million barrels last week.
Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at gasprices.aaa.com.
