Gas prices soar amid heat-related refinery outages, analyst says

The Pittsburgh area’s brief stint of hot weather may be over, but drivers are still feeling the heat at the gas pump.

Gas prices in the region and across the nation have soared over the past week because of heat-related outages impacting some of the country’s largest refineries, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

The outages came “at a time when summer gasoline demand peaks and as gasoline inventories slid to their lowest July level since 2015,” he said.

“In addition, oil prices surged to their highest level in months, rising to over $80 per barrel due to Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases coming to an end and concerns over cuts in supply from Saudi Arabia and Russia, the second- and third-largest oil producers in the world,” De Haan said.

AAA reported the national average Monday at $3.76 per gallon. That’s 16 cents more than a week ago and 21 cents more than a month ago, but 46 cents less than a year ago.

State averages range from about $3.25 in Mississippi up to $5 in California, according to AAA.

AAA reported Pennsylvania’s average at $3.86 per gallon. That’s 15 cents more than a week ago and 22 cents more than a month ago, but 62 cents less than a year ago.

Across the state, county averages range from $3.71 to $3.91. County averages in the Pittsburgh area, according to AAA:

• Allegheny: $3.84

• Armstrong: $3.80

• Beaver: $3.82

• Butler: $3.83

• Washington: $3.84

• Westmoreland: $3.87

GasBuddy reported the average price in the Pittsburgh area at $3.83 on Monday, based on its survey of 731 stations. That’s about 12 cents more than last week and 19 cents more than a month ago, but 66 cents less than a year ago.

In the Pittsburgh area, prices range from $3.45 to $4.19, a difference of 74 cents per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:

• Akron: $3.49, up 24 cents from last week.

• Cleveland: $3.50, up 22 cents from last week.

• West Virginia: $3.51, up 17 cents from last week.

Diesel prices also have increased. According to GasBuddy, the national average jumped nearly 16 cents to $3.99 per gallon.

“Motorists have seen average gasoline and diesel prices rise at the fastest pace in over a year, but the rise seen in the last week should now start slowing,” De Haan said. “However, as we get ever closer to the peak of hurricane season, any new issues could easily push the national average over $4 per gallon for the first time in 2023. Drivers may want to brace for potentially higher prices yet.”