Refinery issues, change to summer gas likely to push prices higher, analyst says

Gas prices are on the rise, and the worst is yet to come, an industry analyst says.

The national average was about $3.23 Tuesday, AAA reported. That’s about 8 cents more than a week ago and 15 cents more than a month ago.

In Pennsylvania, the average was at an even $3.50, according to AAA. That’s up 13 cents from last week and 17 cents from last month.

The national average has been increasing for three straight weeks, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

“With several major refinery issues persisting across various regions, the eventual transition to summer gasoline is likely to continue to put upward pressure on prices, with larger weekly increases likely coming in March and April,” he said.

“While I feel optimistic that the rise in prices will be merely average, the fact that we’ve already seen a few high-level refinery problems doesn’t bode well for the spring squeeze, and is a reminder to motorists that without the critical role that refineries play, we could see a bumpy transition to EPA-mandated summer gasoline.”

Across the nation, state averages ranged from $2.73 in Wyoming to $4.70 in Hawaii, according to AAA.

In Pennsylvania, county averages were between $3.41 and $3.70. Averages in the Pittsburgh area, according to AAA:

• Allegheny: $3.56

• Armstrong: $3.54

• Beaver: $3.50

• Butler: $3.54

• Washington: $3.55

• Westmoreland: $3.58