PITTSBURGH — The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is six cents cheaper this week at $2.604 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
At the start of the work week, state averages across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states range from $2.16 in Virginia to $2.57 in Pennsylvania.
Regional refinery utilization has decreased for three weeks, now down to 56%. Stocks are also moving downward, with the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) draw reported as 1.6 million down to 63.5 million barrels. These factors are being offset by the drastic drop in the cost of crude oil, leading to cheaper prices for motorists in the region.
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Bradford is $2.716; in Brookville, $2.532; in DuBois, $2.625; in Erie, $2.743; and in Warren, $2.718.
The national gas price average is cheaper on the week (-5 cents), month (-5 cents) and year (-9 cents) – giving the vast majority of motorists savings at the pump nationwide. At $2.38, the national gas price average has not been this cheap since last February. For the third week, U.S. gasoline stocks decreased while demand increased. While this would normally be a recipe for more expensive gas prices, crude prices have dipped to four-year lows. Given that crude accounts for about 50 percent of what consumers pay at the pump, this is what is largely leading to lower prices.
