Hard to believe but this week’s average gasoline price in Oklahoma is just 9 cents under the $2 a gallon mark. The $1.91 average, according to AAA Oklahoma’s Fuel Gauge report, is 57 cents more than the state average on Valentine’s Day. And at least one city in the state has an average higher than $2.
Chuck Mai with AAA Oklahoma indicated the new average is still one cent below the price average a week before Thanksgiving of 2015.
“Crude oil has risen a bit,” said Mai. “Not a lot, but some. Plus, demand is up substantially and we’re still weathering the springtime supply-sapping metamorphosis refineries go through each year as they gear down, clean out and ramp back up to produce cleaner-burning summer-grade fuels.”
Guymon takes the honors this week for the city with the lowest average of $1.81 a gallon. Enid and Ardmore each have averages of $1.85 a gallon. McAlester is $1.84. The highest average goes to Stillwater at $2.01 a gallon. Oklahoma City averages $1.90 a gallon while in Tulsa, the average is the same. The average in Altus is $1.94.
The national average is $2.11, an increase of 7 cents over the past week. It has also increased 41 cents a gallon in the past 55 days. However, the nationwide average is still 33 cents cheaper than a year ago.
AAA indicated the cheaper gasoline is prompting more drivers to take to the roads. However, it might also put pressure on local gasoline markets and cause prices to move higher if demand outpaces the available supply of gasoline.
Mississippi and Louisiana have the lowest averages in the nation at $1.89 each. Oklahoma is next and 13 states still have averages under the $2 mark. Highest prices are in California where the average is $2.78 and in Hawaii where drivers are paying an average $2.60 a gallon.
