Gasoline prices again see big decrease

Gasoline price information

Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have fallen 11.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.21 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has fallen 2.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.43 a gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices yesterday were 144.5 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 5.9 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has increased 18.0 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 109.3 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

“After March came in like a lion at the pump, things are beginning to cool down, especially in hardest hit areas in the West,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst. “While the West Coast will continue to see relief in the week ahead, motorists in the Great Lakes should be on high alert after refinery issues have developed, and as they see gasoline specifications improve ahead of the getting to the final ‘summer gasoline’ product that we often talk about.

“I would expect some volatility in gas prices in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Wisconsin in the next two weeks due to this issues,” DeHaan added. “Around the rest of the country, prices in some areas may drift higher with improved gasoline blends showing up as well, but its important to note that even with increases factored in, motorists are still seeing considerable savings versus gas prices last year.”

Crude oil prices closed last week nearing their January lows on news of plentiful crude oil inventories, which maybe begin to weigh on gasoline prices, once refineries conclude maintenance and throttle up utilization rates. In the end, it could mean even lower gasoline prices for motorists during the summer than GasBuddy previously expected, barring other refinery issues or unpredictable issues.

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GasBuddy is the premiere source for real-time local gas prices. Founded in 2000, GasBuddy.com developed as an initiative to provide consumers access to local, current gas prices. Through the GasBuddy.com website and the free GasBuddy mobile app, users can find and share gas prices with fellow drivers, saving big money at the pump.