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Susquehanna Valley Gas Prices Drop, Region Shows Signs of Volatility

Pennsylvania, Gas Prices
Sunrise at gas station by Don DeBold
Photo by Don DeBold https://www.flickr.com/photos/ddebold/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Gas prices in the Susquehanna Valley are down by almost three cents this week to $2.796 per gallon this week according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

Gas prices are volatile in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region.  On the week, prices pushed upwards by as much a nickel in some areas while decreasing by a penny in Pennsylvania.  Other states saw prices remain stable over the past seven days.

Pennsylvania ($2.75) gas prices are among the most expensive in the region, and land on the list of the top 10 most expensive in the country this week.

With a 2.4 million barrel decline, the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region saw the largest decline in the country on the week, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.  Gasoline inventories now sit at their lowest level of the year at 59.4 million barrels.

This week’s average prices: Susquehanna Valley Average: $2.796
Average price during the week of March 12, 2018: $2.820
Average price during the week of March 20, 2017:  $2.468

Average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas: 

$2.839            Elysburg
$2.724            Lewisburg
$2.774            Mifflinburg
$2.820            Milton
$2.800            Mount Carmel
$2.797            Selinsgrove
$2.814            Shamokin
$2.796            Sunbury

On the National Front
Consumer gasoline demand is at the highest level on record for March.  According to the EIA latest report, demand measured at 9.6 million barrels-per-day – levels typical of summer months, not the first quarter of a year.  U.S. exports continue to trend high, accounting for a large chunk of this week’s demand data.

Today’s national gas price average of $2.55 is two cents more than a month ago and more than a quarter (26 cents) higher than this time last year.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate increased $1.15 to settle at $62.34.  Crude prices rallied last week after the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest monthly oil market report showed that global crude demand is expected to increase to 99.3 million barrels-per-day, an increase of 1.5 million over 2017’s rate of 97.8 million.  The report also noted that global supply reached 97.9 million b/d last month, which was fueled by growth in domestic production in the U.S.  The figure is 700,000 b/d higher than last year’s rate at this time.  These findings gave the market some hope that although crude production is booming in the U.S., the newly produced oil will help meet global demand instead of helping global inventories grow.

The latest weekly U.S. crude production rate record – 10.4 million b/d – was set last week, according to EIA.  That rate is likely to continue growing, supported by growth in the number of active oil rigs in the country.  Last week, Baker Hughes reported an increase of four rigs.  The total is now 800, which is 169 more than last year at this time.

Motorists can find current gas prices at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 80 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For More Information, Contact:
Jim Garrity, Public & Community Relations Manager
Desk: 412-365-7274 / Cell: 412-905-9021 / Email: Garrity.James@aaaec.com

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AAA East Central is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.