AAA Mid-Atlantic: Gas Prices Singing the Same Old Song

Drivers like having the song on repeat

The Week

Pump prices across the Mid-Atlantic continue to sing the same old song – a favorite on drivers’ playlists. Averages have decreased a few pennies during the week. The national average price of regular unleaded gasoline follows the Mid-Atlantic trend, settling at today’s price of $2.27 per gallon, one penny lower than one week ago, 10 cents less per gallon month-over-month, and 55 cents more per gallon year-over-year.

Increased U.S. production and low demand have led to a leveling out of prices over the last few weeks. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest weekly estimates of U.S. gasoline demand shows that January 2017 figures are down 6 percent from January 2016 and are at their lowest standing for the first month of the year since 2012.

CURRENT AND PAST GAS PRICE AVERAGES

                                    Regular Unleaded Gasoline (*indicates record high)

At the end of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, WTI closed at $53.80 per barrel. The potential for more U.S. oil production has kept a ceiling on oil prices and diminished the impact of efforts by OPEC and non-OPEC countries to cut production and rebalance global oil supply. Tuesday, the American Petroleum Institute reported the second-largest weekly inventory build ever in the history of records, at 14.227 million barrels, versus expectations of a 2.38-million-barrel increase.

The Weekend

“The increase in U.S. domestic oil production has helped to counter-balance OPEC’s production cuts, sending gas prices down slowly,” said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic.  “As refiners slowly use up all of their cheaper winter-blend gasoline, summer-blend gas will take its place, likely bringing the decline in prices we’ve seen to an end.”

The Week Ahead

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts U.S. regular gasoline retail prices to average $2.39 per gallon in 2017 and $2.44 per gallon in 2018. The EIA also expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices to average about $54 per barrel in 2017. U.S. crude oil production averaged an estimated 8.9 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2016. U.S crude oil production is forecast to average 9.0 million b/d in 2017 and 9.5 million b/d in 2018.

AAA has a variety of resources to help motorists save on fuel:

• Fuel Price Finder (AAA.com/fuelfinder) locates the lowest fuel price in your area.
• Fuel Cost Calculator (https://gasprices.aaa.com/aaa-gas-cost-calculator/ helps budget travel expenses.
• TripTik Mobile (AAA.com/mobile) plots fuel prices along your travel route.
• AAA's Member Rewards Visa® Credit Card (AAA.com/financial/AAAvisa.htm) accumulates double points on fuel purchases.

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 56 million members nationwide and nearly two million members in New Jersey. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit www.aaa.com.