Refinery issue causes gas price increase

VW independent staff/submitted information

Problems at a refinery in Indiana are being blamed on a sudden spike in gas prices late last week.

Locally, pump prices jumped from the $2.89 range to as high as $3.49 per gallon for self-serve regular. By Sunday afternoon, prices had decreased to $3.39 or $3.40 per gallon at most gas stations in Van Wert. The same price jump occurred at virtually all other gas stations around the area.

According to GasBuddy’s weekly survey of 5,345 gas stations in Ohio, average gasoline prices in Ohio have risen 29.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.34 per gallon on Monday. Prices in Ohio are 22.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 14.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

GasBuddy price reports indicate the cheapest station in Ohio was priced at $2.48 per gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $4.49 per gallon, a difference of $2.01 per gallon.

The national average price of gasoline has risen 3.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.12/g today. The national average is down 2.1 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 18.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

“The national average saw a modest increase over the last week after storms temporarily knocked the Midwest’s largest refinery offline in Indiana, triggering sharp jumps in gas prices across Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “We could soon see prices cycle higher in Illinois and Indiana as well, although there’s been some late-week relief in wholesale prices now that the refinery is restarting.”

Historical gasoline prices in Ohio and the national average going back ten years:

August 25, 2024: $3.20/g (U.S. Average: $3.30/g)

August 25, 2023: $3.48/g (U.S. Average: $3.79/g)

August 25, 2022: $3.57/g (U.S. Average: $3.85/g)

August 25, 2021: $2.91/g (U.S. Average: $3.13/g)

August 25, 2020: $2.15/g (U.S. Average: $2.20/g)

August 25, 2019: $2.59/g (U.S. Average: $2.58/g)

August 25, 2018: $2.83/g (U.S. Average: $2.83/g)

August 25, 2017: $2.31/g (U.S. Average: $2.35/g)

August 25, 2016: $2.21/g (U.S. Average: $2.21/g)

August 25, 2015: $2.62/g (U.S. Average: $2.58/g)