Oklahoma Gasoline Prices Remain in Top Ten Lowest in U.S.

Oklahoma remains one of the top ten states for the least expensive gasoline in the country this week while at the same time it also is in the top ten for monthly changes in gasoline prices.

AAA Oklahoma reports the average gasoline price is $2.42 a gallon this week, low enough for the state to rank 9th out of the top ten lowest averages. But the state is ranked 7th for states with the largest increases in prices over the past month.

Oklahoma’s average has risen 17 cents since early January while the largest jump was seen in Iowa where prices have gone up 22 cents. Prices jumped 18 cents a gallon in Nebraska and 17 cents a gallon in Kansas and North Dakota.

As for this week, Texas has the lowest average at $2.36 a gallon followed by Mississippi, South Carolina and Alabama at $2.37. Missouri and Arizona have averages of $2.38 a gallon while Arkansas is $2.38. The average in New Mexico is $2.43.

Nationally, the average is $2.58, 3 cents cheaper than a week ago. AAA Oklahoma reports it is also the first decrease nationally this year. However, the national average is still 6 cents higher than a month ago and 30 cents more than one year ago.

“Gas price averages are less expensive for 78 percent of the states compared to last Monday,” said a AAA spokeswoman. “Motorists filling up in the Midwest, South and East coast are most likely to see the positive change at the pump. Unfortunately, it’s too early to know if this one-week decline is the start of a cheaper gas price trend.”

The association suggests the continuing growth in U.S. crude production may give the market some pause as it continues to assess the long-term impact of OPEC’s production reductio agreement. But exploration is higher than ever as reflected by the most recent oil and gas rig count which saw a jump of 26 new rigs in the past week in the U.S.