Gas is now more expensive than it has been at any point the past six months and Indiana is among the top 10 states with the highest gas prices in the nation. According to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the average gas price in the Hoosier state is $3.71 for regular grade gasoline. That’s up from $3.68 a week ago and $3.62 for the same time period a year ago.
According to GasBuddy.com, locally, the cheapest gas today is in Leesburg for $3.58 a gallon. Most Warsaw stations have it for $3.79.
Today’s national average price at the pump is $3.53 per gallon. This, according to AAA, is 14 cents more expensive than one month ago, but just a penny above one week ago and 17 cents per gallon less than the same date last year. The average pump price has increased on 42 of the past 45 days.
AAA Public Relations Manager Michael Green said seasonal factors have a significant impact on the recent cost increases at the pumps explaining, “Refinery maintenance, the switchover to summer blend gasoline and, more recently, rising demand” are to blame. Refiners are required to switch over to producing summer blend gasoline by May 1.
Green also added, “The closer you are to a refinery, generally means you’ll pay less at the pump. Refineries along the West Coast and Northeast generally buy higher priced Brent crude oil from overseas.”
(Courtesy of AAA)
Indiana is also among the top 10 states that saw the largest monthly increase of gasoline.
The 10 states today with the highest average for gasoline are:
- Hawaii $4.24
- California $4
- Alaska $3.80
- Connecticut $3.77
- New York $3.77
- Michigan $3.76
- Illinois $3.75
- Indiana $3.71
- Washington $3.68
- Oregon $3.66
AAA reports prices could still rise before peaking between $3.55 and $3.75 per gallon in the coming weeks. How much those prices rise will likely be dictated by the impact of seasonal refinery maintenance and any disruptions to production or distribution. While refinery issues have thus far been minimal this spring, the
BP Whiting Refinery did have a spill into Lake Michigan last week.
A cleanup assessment team made up of BP contractors, the Coast Guard and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the March 25 spill happened when as much as 1,638 gallons of crude oil — approximately 39 barrelts — got mixed into cooling water because of a mechanical glitch.