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Western Pennsylvania Gas Prices Inch Upward as Regional Inventory Tightens

Pennsylvania, Gas Prices
Fuel Gauge by Paul Schadler
Photo by Paul Schadler https://www.flickr.com/photos/pschadler/ creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is almost two cents more expensive this week at $2.698 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. 

In the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region, gas prices range from $2.28 (Virginia) to $2.67 (Pennsylvania).  As regional gasoline inventory tightens, six states’ average prices jumped seven cents or more and land on the top 10 list of largest changes in the country on the week. 

Since the beginning of February, regional gasoline stocks have decreased by 6.3 million barrels due to ongoing planned and unplanned refinery maintenance.  As stocks diminished, total inventory tightened to 64.9 million barrels – one of the lowest levels seen in the region this year.  However, inventories are at a year-over-year surplus of 3.1 million barrels, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average: $2.698
Average price during the week of March 4, 2019:  $2.681
Average price during the week of March 12, 2018: $2.790

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

$2.636      Altoona
$2.689      Beaver
$2.760      Bradford
$2.712      Brookville
$2.598      Butler
$2.740      Clarion
$2.743      Du Bois
$2.726      Erie
$2.634      Greensburg
$2.755      Indiana
$2.746      Jeannette
$2.750      Kittanning
$2.689      Latrobe
$2.751      Meadville
$2.716      Mercer
$2.589      New Castle
$2.705      New Kensington
$2.697      Pittsburgh
$2.675      Sharon
$2.660      Uniontown
$2.760      Warren
$2.614      Washington

On the National Front 
On the week, the national gas price average and that of 26 states jumped a nickel or more. The national average has been steadily increasing for the last three weeks, currently sitting at $2.47.  During that time, gasoline inventory has gradually decreased while demand has started to increase and crude oil prices have fluctuated.  Combined, these factors are driving up gas prices across the country.  Today’s gas price average is a nickel more than last week, 20 cents more expensive than a month ago, but five cents less than last year.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate dropped 59 cents to settle at $56.07.  Oil prices fell at the end of last week following the release of lower-than-expected job growth data in the U.S. and continued concerns that a slowing global economy could bring weaker global crude demand later this year.  Moving into this week, crude prices may rise as the global crude supply tightens due to OPEC’s 1.2 million b/d production reduction agreement in place through at least June 2019 and U.S-imposed crude export sanctions on Iran and Venezuela.

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 and Legislative Affairs 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.