AAA: Gas Prices Lower in PA; National Average Increases

Gas prices are two cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.887 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                $3.887
Average price during the week of September 26, 2022                           $3.902
Average price during the week of October 4, 2021                                  $3.380

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

$3.801      Altoona
$3.967      Beaver
$3.959      Bradford
$3.645      Brookville
$3.910      Butler
$3.962      Clarion
$3.672      DuBois
$3.861      Erie
$3.904      Greensburg
$3.833      Indiana
$3.950      Jeannette
$3.921      Kittanning
$3.896      Latrobe
$3.902      Meadville
$4.028      Mercer
$3.898      New Castle
$3.913      New Kensington
$3.959      Oil City
$3.935      Pittsburgh
$3.942      Sharon
$3.871      Uniontown
$3.962      Warren
$3.895      Washington

Trend Analysis: 

The national average pump price for a gallon of gas increased seven cents over the past week to hit $3.79. Tight supply and increased demand are the main culprits. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased nationally from 8.32 million barrels per day to 8.83 million barrels per day last week. Total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 2.4 million barrels to 212.2 million barrels.

The regional differences in gas prices are stark now with prices on the West Coast hitting $6 a gallon and higher, while Texas and Gulf Coast states have prices dipping below $3 in some areas. Meanwhile, gas prices in the upper Midwest have risen since a deadly refinery fire on September 20 in Toledo, Ohio, which closed the plant. According to the latest reports, the 160,000 barrel-per-day BP-Husky Toledo refinery could be down for months.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate decreased by $1.74 to settle at $79.49. Crude prices decreased at the end of last week due to lingering market concerns that demand will decline if global economic growth stalls or decreases due to a recession. Additionally, according to the EIA’s latest weekly report, total domestic commercial crude inventories decreased slightly by 200,000 barrels to 430.6 million barrels.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 71 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.