As refineries gear up for spring gasoline production and maintenance, gasoline prices have gone up across the U.S. including in Oklahoma.
The State’s new average this week is $2.20 a gallon, at least 7 cents higher than a week ago. The national average is $2.40 a gallon or 8 cents more than last week.
The average price in Oklahoma City is $2.19 or four cents more than last week. Motorists in Lawton are paying 7 cents more a gallon with a new average of $2.12 per gallon. Tulsa’s average is $2.20 a gallon or a dime higher.
Northwest Oklahoma drivers are paying the highest prices in the state with those in Taloga shelling out an average of $2.30 a gallon. The average price in Kingfisher is $2.33 while drivers in Woods, Harper and Ellis counties are paying $2.28 to $2.29 a gallon.
Oklahoma’s average jumped higher than surrounding states and in an unusual twist, the state’s average is higher than the $2.16 average in Colorado where tourism pushes prices usually higher.
Kansas drivers pay an average of $2.19 while those in Texas find an average of $2.15 a gallon at the gas pumps. The average in Missouri and Arkansas is $2.14 while the average in New Mexico is up to $2.27 a gallon.
“On average, gas prices this year are 11 percent cheaper than the first two months of 2018 in part due to mostly cheaper crude oil prices so far this year,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Even though pump prices are on the rise, the increase has been countered by mostly decreasing demand, leading to the majority of people still paying less than $2.50.”