AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Continue to Increase

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published October 20, 2021 4:22 am
Image

CLARION CO., Pa. — For the second straight week, gas prices have risen in Western Pennsylvania. This week, prices are seven cents higher at $3.516 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

Clarion County drivers are paying an average of $3.602 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. In Venango County, the standard price is $3.659. The average in Jefferson County is $3.554.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average: $3.516
Average price during the week of October 11, 2021: $3.446
Average price during the week of October 19, 2020: $2.533

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:

$3.455 Altoona
$3.481 Beaver
$3.580 Bradford
$3.554 Brookville
$3.470 Butler
$3.602 Clarion
$3.459 DuBois
$3.624 Erie
$3.402 Greensburg
$3.463 Indiana
$3.442 Jeannette
$3.511 Kittanning
$3.458 Latrobe
$3.610 Meadville
$3.616 Mercer
$3.458 New Castle
$3.449 New Kensington
$3.659 Oil City
$3.450 Pittsburgh
$3.579 Sharon
$3.469 Uniontown
$3.633 Warren
$3.444 Washington

Trend Analysis:

This week’s national average for a gallon of gasoline hit $3.32 which is five cents higher than last week. The primary driver of this surge remains the cost of crude oil, which is now closing daily above $80 a barrel. In August, the price of crude was in the low $60s per barrel.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), last week’s total domestic gasoline supply fell by 2 million barrels to 223.1 million barrels. Gasoline demand also fell from 9.43 million barrels per day to 9.19 million barrels per day, but the agency calculates it is still some 610,000 barrels per day above last year. Typically, softening demand should result in some easing of pump prices, but the higher cost for crude is keeping prices elevated. With more expensive oil prices, pump prices will follow suit because the cost of crude oil accounts for more than half of the price of each gallon of gas.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by 97 cents to settle at $82.28. Crude prices increased last week despite the EIA reporting that total domestic crude inventories increased by 6.1 million barrels to 427 million barrels last week. The current storage level is nearly 13 percent lower than the level at this same time last year. Given supply concerns, the market continues to bolster prices higher.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

Recent Articles

Community Partner