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Western PA Gas Prices Drop, High Demand Threatens National Average

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 Western Pennsylvania are down by three cents this week to $3.091 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: Western Pennsylvania Average:  $3.091
Average price during the week of June 11, 2018:  $3.124
Average price during the week of June 19, 2017:  $2.551

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$2.955      Altoona
$3.139      Beaver
$3.007      Bradford
$3.185      Brookville
$3.115      Butler
$3.155      Clarion
$2.997      Du Bois
$3.129      Erie
$3.105      Greensburg
$3.017      Indiana
$3.123      Jeannette
$3.141      Kittanning
$3.038      Latrobe
$3.049      Meadville
$3.111      Mercer
$3.073      New Castle
$3.100      New Kensington
$3.140      Pittsburgh
$3.101      Sharon
$3.104      Uniontown
$3.098      Warren
$3.123      Washington


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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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.