Gasoline prices fall slightly in Van Wert

VW independent/submitted information

The lowest gasoline price in Van Wert was 4 cents lower on Sunday than it was last week, according to prices on the GasBuddy.com website.

The low price of $2.319 per gallon was spotted at the Murphy USA service center at the Towne Center shopping center on Sunday. The next lowest price was $2.359 a gallon at the One Stop Shop in the 200 block of North Washington Street. Third lowest was $2.369 a gallon at four stations: the Pak-A-Sak stations on North Washington and South Shannon, the Lassus Handy Dandy station on North Washington Street, and the Shell station on South Washington Street. The Marathon station at the Brookside Convenience Store on West Main Street had unleaded gas prices at $2.389 per gallon, while the Short Stop Sunoco station on East Main Street was at $2.399 a gallon.

Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have risen 3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.44 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has also increased 3 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.57 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices Sunday were 43.4 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 5.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has increased 8.8 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 30.7 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

“With oil maintaining strength, gasoline prices have continued to climb in many places, rising to their highest level since Hurricane Harvey dealt a blow to Texas and a significant portion of U.S. refining capacity,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “This time around, oil prices have been the culprit for gasoline prices rising to their highest level in over 130 days, and with U.S. crude oil inventories plummeting for 10 straight weeks, I see diminishing chances of the traditional winter relief that accompanies the year’s coldest months.

“Without gas prices falling, the current price environment may be the floor for what could become a more expensive year than anticipated, barring any change to OPEC policy that has led to today’s climate of lower supply and higher prices.”