Gas prices drop in Van Wert, state rises

VW independent/submitted information

Some gasoline prices in Van Wert were below the state average of $2.35 while others were as much as 14 cents higher than the state average, during a survey of local gas prices on Sunday.

Murphy’s USA in the Towne Center shopping center was the lowest at $2.32.9 — 10 cents lower than last week — while two stations, Lassus Handy Dandy on North Washington and the One Stop Shop in the 200 block of North Washington, were runners-up at $2.34.9.

All three Marathon stations, the two Pak-A-Sak stations on North Washington and South Shannon, plus the station at Brookside on West Main Street, were at $2.39.9, while the Short Stop on East Main Street had the highest gasoline prices at $2.49.9.

Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have risen 3.7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.35 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 2.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.45 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices Sunday were 12.8 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 19.2 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 11.2 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 23.9 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

“With the exception of some Great Lakes states where prices tend to be volatile, average gas prices moved lower in nearly the entire country in the last week,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “Thank a large build in gasoline inventories and gasoline demand numbers that have finally seen a reprieve from levels that were more consistent with summer months than autumn.

“With OPEC extending its oil production cuts, there is solid evidence that U.S. oil producers will fill in at least some of the void with rig counts remaining strong,” DeHaan added. “As the focus continues to broaden beyond the rest of the year, motorists who found this year’s gas prices high may want to begin setting aside some additional funds for next year as all signs continue to point to higher prices than this year.”