Gas prices are two cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.435 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                          $3.435
Average price during the week of December 18, 2023                                      $3.456
Average price during the week of December 27, 2022                                      $3.712

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

$3.248      Altoona
$3.503      Beaver
$3.650      Bradford
$3.390      Brookville
$3.437      Butler
$3.416      Clarion
$3.349      DuBois
$3.338      Erie
$3.495      Greensburg
$3.458      Indiana
$3.448      Jeannette
$3.655      Kittanning
$3.465      Latrobe
$3.330      Meadville
$3.445      Mercer
$3.215      New Castle
$3.458      New Kensington
$3.404      Oil City
$3.478      Pittsburgh
$3.370      Sharon
$3.410      Uniontown
$3.597      Warren
$3.441      Washington

Trend Analysis: 

The national average for a gallon of gas fell to a 2023 low of $3.06 on December 18, but has increased over the past week to $3.12. This marks the first weekly increase since September. Today’s national average is 13 cents less than a month ago and two cents more than a year ago.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand dipped slightly from 8.86 to 8.75 million barrels per day last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks increased slightly by 2.7 million barrels to 226.7 million barrels. Robust gas demand and elevated oil prices have jolted pump prices as the US enters winter. 

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by 28 cents to settle at $74.22. Oil prices rose due to attacks on tankers in the Red Sea. Because of those attacks, vessels had to be re-routed around the Cape of Good Hope, which requires increased transportation costs. Additionally, the EIA reported that total domestic commercial crude inventories rose by nearly 3 million barrels to 443.7 million barrels last week.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at gasprices.aaa.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 69 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.