Gas Prices on Steady One-Month Declin

Motorists are paying on average six cents less for a gallon of gasoline on the week with all states seeing prices at the pump either drop or hold steady. Today’s national gas price average is $2.49, which is 18 cents cheaper than a month ago. With the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) report measuring gasoline demand at 9.2 million b/d, down 281,000 b/d from the week prior, retail gas prices are showing steady promise of returning to pre-hurricane rates.

“Gas prices have fallen steadily for the past four weeks and now we are seeing gasoline demand drop alongside prices,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “The latest demand figures show the lowest since the week Hurricane Harvey hit and can likely be the beginning of a downward demand trend indicating even cheaper gas prices to come this fall.”

Locally, South Jersey motorists are paying an average of $2.37 for a gallon of unleaded gasoline. This is 8 cents per gallon less than one week ago ($2.45), and a whopping 36 cents per gallon less than one month ago ($2.73). However, today’s price is still 38 cents more per gallon than this time last year ($1.99).

Over the weekend, Hurricane Nate made landfall over the Gulf Coast and is now a tropical depression. Ahead of the storm, many Gulf Coast oil platforms and rigs were shut down and employees evacuated. In addition, two refineries, accounting for six percent of total Gulf Coast refining capacity, shut down. Early reports speculate that refineries did not sustain damage and operations could start up today, Monday.

Overall, motorists will see minimal to no impact to gas prices in the region hit by the storm.

Quick Stats

• The nation’s top ten markets with the largest weekly decreases: Georgia (-10 cents), Michigan (-10 cents), South Carolina (-9 cents), Indiana (-9 cents), Ohio (-9 cents), Alabama (-8 cents), Tennessee (-8 cents), North Carolina (-8 cents), Mississippi (-8 cents) and Florida (-8 cents).