Drivers on the West Coast and in most other states continue to see pump prices ease while drivers in the Midwest are being hit with rising prices due to a refinery issue in the Chicago area.
Lower crude oil prices below $80 per barrel are helping to put downward pressure on pump prices. For the week, the national average for regular remains at $3.50 a gallon. The Oregon average slips two cents to $3.94 a gallon.
“A refinery in Joliet, Illinois lost power in a tornado and has been offline since mid-July. This facility normally produces nearly 252,000 barrels per day and the outage has sent pump prices soaring in the Great Lakes states. Once production returns to normal, we would expect prices in the area to ease, and that should put some downward pressure on the national average,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho. “However, hurricane season remains a wildcard. Forecasters expect activity to pick up soon. Any storm that impacts energy infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to send crude oil and pump prices higher.”
This week, 24 Oregon counties have averages below $4 per gallon, compared to 21 counties a week ago:
- Baker $3.80
- Benton $3.56
- Clackamas $3.97
- Crook $3.87
- Deschutes $3.73
- Douglas $3.83
- Gilliam $3.90
- Hood River $3.87
- Jackson $3.94
- Jefferson $3.73
- Klamath $3.91
- Lake $3.99
- Lane $3.75
- Linn $3.66
- Lincoln $3.68
- Malheur $3.86
- Marion $3.85
- Morrow $3.79
- Polk $3.80
- Sherman $3.86
- Umatilla $3.79
- Union $3.98
- Yamhill $3.88
- Wasco $3.91
The Oregon average began 2024 at $3.79 a gallon compared to $3.94 today. Its lowest price so far this year is $3.58 on February 14 and the highest is nearly $4.51 on May 1. The national average started the year at $3.11 and is at $3.50 today. Its lowest price so far this year is just under $3.07 on January 15 and the highest is just under $3.68 on April 19.
Oregon is one of 33 states with lower prices now than a week ago. Indiana (-8 cents) has the largest week-over-week drop in the nation. Colorado (+11 cents) and Ohio (+7 cents) have the largest weekly jumps. Storms in Illinois knocked out power to an Exxon-Mobil refinery in Joliet, causing pump prices in the region to climb.
Hawaii ($4.67) has the most expensive gas in the nation for the second week in a row. California ($4.65) is second, Washington ($4.25) is third, and Illinois ($4.03) is fourth most expensive. These are the four states with averages at or above $4 a gallon, up from three states a week ago. This week 45 states and the District of Columbia have averages in the $3-range. There is one state with an average in the $2 range this week.
The cheapest gas in the nation is in Mississippi ($2.97) and Louisiana ($3.06). No state has had an average below $2 a gallon since January 7, 2021, when Mississippi and Texas were below that threshold.
The difference between the most expensive and least expensive states is $1.70 this week, compared to $1.69 a week ago.
Oregon is one of 18 states with lower prices now than a month ago. The national average is one cent more and the Oregon average is 12 cents less than a month ago. This is the third-largest month-over-month decline in the nation. Wisconsin (+18 cents) and Illinois (+18 cents) have the largest monthly gain in the nation. California (-14 cents) has the largest month-over-month decrease.
Oregon is one of 47 states and the District of Columbia with lower prices now than a year ago. The national average is 25 cents less and the Oregon average is 67 cents less than a year ago. This is the second-largest year-over-year drop in the nation. Washington (-70 cents) has the largest yearly decrease. Michigan (+8 cents) has the largest year-over-year increase.
