Gas prices in the Susquehanna Valley are down by five cents over the week at $3.021 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
Gas prices are one to five cents cheaper across every state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region. Even with the cheaper pump prices, four states continue to sell gas for $3 or more (including Pennsylvania, $3.04).
Regional gasoline inventories fell to 65.6 million barrels after a 1.3 million drop on the week. This latest decrease brings the year-over-year deficit for the region to 3.4 million bbl, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.
This week’s average prices: Susquehanna Valley Average: $3.021
Average price during the week of June 11, 2018: $3.074
Average price during the week of June 19, 2017: $2.401
Average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
$3.031 Elysburg
$2.991 Lewisburg
$2.996 Mifflinburg
$3.052 Milton
$3.003 Mount Carmel
$3.051 Selinsgrove
$3.003 Shamokin
$3.037 Sunbury
On the National Front
On the week, the national gas price average is two cents cheaper at $2.90. Today’s national average is only one cent more expensive than a month ago, but 60 cents more expensive than a year ago.
Nationwide, 44 states have less expensive or steady gas price averages compared to last Monday. However, the cheaper trend may be reversing. Gasoline demand spiked in the latest EIA report, in fact setting a new record at 9.88 million b/d for the week ending June 8. As demand skyrockets, U.S. gasoline inventories plummeted 2.27 million barrels to land at 237 million, which is 5.7 million below stocks last year at this time. If demand continues to strengthen and inventories decrease in the weeks ahead, motorists may see gas prices do a reversal and start to increase again.
Moving into this week, another factor that will influence gas prices in the near and long-term will be outcomes from the June 22 OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria. The cartel, along with other major producers including Russia, will discuss increasing oil production ahead of the year-end scheduled dissolution of its production reduction agreement. Some reports indicate that OPEC could be looking at an increase of 300,000 to 600,000 b/d to help ease global crude price gains. An increase in production would likely decrease crude oil prices and encourage cheaper gas prices.
Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide 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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