With a statewide average of $2.81 per gallon of gasoline, Oklahoma is still among the top ten states with the lowest prices in the country. However, prices have also been on the increase in the past month.
AAA reports the top ten lease expensive markets are: Mississippi ($2.71), Louisiana ($2.79), Arkansas ($2.79), Texas ($2.79), Tennessee ($2.80), Oklahoma ($2.81), Alabama ($2.82), South Carolina ($2.85), Kentucky ($2.86), and Missouri ($2.87).
Compare that with the top ten most expensive states: California ($4.63), Washington ($4.61), Hawaii ($4.47), Oregon ($4.27), Nevada ($3.90), Alaska ($3.84), Arizona ($3.56), Idaho ($3.51), Illinois ($3.47), and Pennsylvania ($3.35).
AAA contends that with the end of the summer driving season, gas demand is dropping and pump prices should follow suit. The national average of $3.19 is down a penny from one week ago but six cents higher than a month earlier.
An AAA price map of Oklahoma shows 16 counties with averages of $2.90 to more than $3 a gallon. Three counties have averages of more than $3 a gallon: Ellis and Coal counties at $3.11 each while Hughes county has an average price of $3.04 per gallon.
Numerous other counties have averages of $2.90 or higher including Washita, Roger Mills, Dewey and Logan. Logan and Washita have averages of $2.99 per gallon.
Oklahoma City’s AAA average of $2.84 was 6 cents more than a week ago and a dime higher than a month ago. Its average one year ago was $2.81. Tulsa’s average of $2.78 was three cents more than last week and 16 cents higher than a month earlier. Lawton’s average went from $2.69 last week to $2.82 this week.
GasBuddy, another price-checking website found the cheapest price in Oklahoma City was $2.50 per gallon at one site. It reported the lowest price in Tulsa was $2.62.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased from 9.11 million b/d last week to 8.50 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 218.5 million barrels to 220 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day.