State sees gas prices climb over past week

Average retail gasoline prices in Nebraska have risen 18 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.51 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,150 gas outlets in Nebraska. This compares with the national average that has increased 2.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.31 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Nebraska during the past week, prices yesterday were 60.5 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 4.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has decreased 3.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 88 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

“A majority of states saw gasoline prices jumping over the last week thanks to a upward move in oil prices as well as refinery maintenance season getting underway, constricting gasoline output,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. “The jump was led by states in the Midwest – areas that GasBuddy had warned last week were ripe for hikes thanks to a confluence of refinery maintenance and outages.

“North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Oklahoma led with the largest increases, while areas of the West Coast saw continued relief at the pump,” he added. “Some areas of the country are seeing hikes at the gas pump while others see continued declines.

“The most pressing issues on gasoline prices currently remain the recent surge in oil prices that have brought a barrel of West Texas Intermediate oil to nearly $50 per barrel from $38 per barrel in August. While I believe the rebound is somewhat of a head fake as the oil market remains oversupplied – it will be a temporary rebound, with oil and gasoline prices moving lower again in the months ahead, allowing for relief at the pump again in the months ahead. And, we’re sticking to our previous guidance – $1.98 per gallon nationally by Christmas,” DeHaan said.