South Central Ohio gas prices are lower this week, decreasing to $2.215 a gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Fuel Gauge Report. The national average is $2.241. This week’s average prices for South Central Ohio Average $2.215. The average price during the week of Oct. 10 was $2.338 and average price during the week of Oct. 19, 2015 was $2.339.
On the National Front
The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has dropped for nine consecutive days, reaching today’s price of $2.24 per gallon. Today’s average price represents a decrease of two cents per gallon compared to one week ago, but remains five cents more than last month. However, drivers across the country continue to see savings at the pump and are paying an average of three cents less per gallon year-over-year.
Prices continue to wobble as areas of the country impacted by Hurricane Matthew work to replenish supply and several refineries across the country address planned and unplanned facility maintenance.
The Great Lakes is often the most volatile area in the country and it is not uncommon for prices to move significantly from week to week. At the moment, prices are heading downwards which can likely be attributed to BP’s Whiting, Indiana refinery completing unplanned maintenance on its largest crude distillation unit which has helped to ease supply constraints in the region. Planned work at the refinery has also wrapped up for the season. ExxonMobil is also completing scheduled maintenance at its Joliet refinery in Illinois. Refineries should finish all seasonal planned maintenance by the end of October.
Crude oil contracts continued to react to last month’s announcement that OPEC was working on a plan to cut production. While the market increased briefly by the end of last week, crude oil prices had dipped back to less than $51 per barrel as a result of continued skepticism about both the plausibility of a plan being agreed to and the implementation of a production freeze. Traders will continue to watch discussions surrounding the upcoming November meeting. At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate was down 9 cents to settle at $50.35 per barrel.
Drivers can find current gas prices along their route with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and Android. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.
Here is the price per gallon of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
Athens: $2.391
Chillicothe: $2.100
Columbiana: $2.029
East Liverpool: $2.152
Gallipolis: $2.295
Hillsboro: $2.149
Ironton: $2.284
Jackson: $2.209
Logan: $2.177
Marietta: $2.331
Portsmouth: $2.297
Steubenville: $2.229
Washington Court House: $2.107
Waverly: $2.256
