AAA: Gas prices ease for now, but rising crude oil prices may curb relief for Oregon drivers
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Most states, including Oregon, are seeing stable or falling gas prices this week. But crude oil prices are rising again, which means relief at the pump may be short-lived, AAA Oregon-Idaho said Tuesday.
Crude oil prices continue to be volatile as markets react to developments in the Iran conflict and ongoing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. For the week, the national average for regular gasoline declines 10 cents, to $4.02 a gallon. The Oregon average slips one cent, to $4.98 a gallon, while Bend's average drops about 2 1/2 cents, to nearly $4.92 a gallon.
Here's AAA's weekly report:
The national average for regular gas was $2.98 and Oregon average was $3.92 on Feb. 28, the day the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran.
Crude oil prices remain volatile, with dramatic swings driven by concerns of how the conflict with Iran impacts global oil supplies. Since the conflict with Iran started, prices for West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark for crude, have ranged between $71 and nearly $113 per barrel. Crude was at $67 per barrel on Feb. 27, the day before the conflict began.
“There’s been hope that negotiations could bring the conflict in the Middle East to an end, but so far, no lasting agreement seems to be on the table. Over the last two weeks, crude oil prices have swung wildly, climbing to nearly $113 per barrel before falling back to around $82, illustrating the volatility in the market. Normally, about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, but traffic remains at a trickle. There’s a lot of uncertainty about what happens next,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
In general, every $1 increase in the price of crude oil leads to a 2.4- to 2.5-cent increase in the price of gasoline.
About 20% of the world’s oil and refined products flow through the Strait of Hormuz, which is the narrow passageway of the Persian Gulf and is bordered by Iran. Tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz carry oil from major producers in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Iran. Any disruption in the straight can impact global oil supplies and send crude oil prices higher.
The Oregon average for regular gas began 2026 at $3.42 a gallon. The highest price of the year so far is $5.014 on April 9. The lowest price of the year so far is $3.33 on January 20.
The national average began 2026 at $2.83 a gallon. The highest price of the year so far is $4.166 on April 9. The lowest price of the year so far is $2.795 on January 11.
Demand for gasoline in the U.S. gasoline increased last week from 8.56 million b/d to 9.09 million for the week ending April 10. This compares to 8.46 million b/d a year ago. Total domestic gasoline supply dropped from 239.3 million barrels to 232.9 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day compared to 9.4 million barrels the previous week.
Gas prices typically rise starting in mid-to-late winter and early spring as refineries undergo maintenance ahead of the switch to summer-blend fuel, which is more expensive to produce and less likely to evaporate in warmer temperatures.
The switch occurs first in California, which is why pump prices on the West Coast often rise before other parts of the country. The East Coast is the last major market to switch to summer-blend fuel. Most areas have a May 1 compliance date for refiners and terminals, while most gas stations have a June 1 deadline to switch to selling summer-blend.
Switch-over dates are earlier in California, with some areas in the state requiring summer-blend fuel by April 1. Some refineries will begin maintenance and the switch-over in February.
Gas prices usually drop in the fall, due to the switch from summer-blend to winter-blend fuel, which costs less to produce. The switch starts in September. Many areas, including Oregon, can sell winter-blend fuel starting September 15. However, Northern and Southern California require summer-blend fuel through October 31. Prices usually decline to their lowest levels of the year in late fall and early winter before increasing again in the late winter and early spring.
The U.S. price of crude oil (West Texas Intermediate) remains elevated, due to supply disruptions caused by the conflict with Iran. WTI had mostly been in the upper $50s to mid-$70s since September 2024. Oil prices rose in February, in part driven by escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Then crude oil prices shot up after the strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. Any conflict with Iran can send oil prices higher, as Iran is a major oil producer and about a fifth of the oil consumed globally travels through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
WTI is trading around $92 Tuesday, compared to $91 a week ago and $63 a year ago. In 2025, West Texas Intermediate ranged between $80.04 (January 15) and $57.46 (October 16) per barrel. In 2024, WTI ranged between $66 and $87 per barrel. In 2023, WTI ranged between $63 and $95 per barrel. WTI reached recent highs of $123.70 on March 8, 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and $122.11 per barrel on June 8, 2022. The all-time high for WTI crude oil is $147.27 in July 2008.
Crude prices are determined in international markets, based on global supply and demand, and are impacted by economic news as well as geopolitical events around the world including the current conflict with Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, economic uncertainty, the situation in Venezuela, tensions over Greenland, sanctions on Iran’s oil, unrest in the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia is a top global oil producer, behind the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
In addition, moves by OPEC+ impact crude oil prices. Production cuts by the cartel in previous years tightened global crude oil supplies, which continued to impact prices. But in 2025, the cartel boosted production which put downward pressure on crude oil prices.
For the first quarter of 2026, OPEC+ said it would not have production hikes in the first quarter of this year due to lower demand. However, at its meeting on March 1, OPEC+ said it would boost oil production by 206,000 barrels a day in April. However, oil production in the Middle East has plunged due to the Iran war, according to OPEC data.
Crude oil is the main ingredient in gasoline and diesel, so pump prices are impacted by crude prices on the global markets. On average, about 51% of what we pay for in a gallon of gasoline is for the price of crude oil, 20% is refining, 11% distribution and marketing, and 18% are taxes, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Meanwhile, crude oil production in the U.S. remains at or near record highs. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that crude production in his country is at 13.60 million barrels per day for the week ending April 10. Production has been at 13.5 million barrels per day many times since October 2024. The U.S. has been the top producer of crude oil in the world since 2018 and has been increasing its oil production since about 2009.
Quick stats
Oregon is one of 47 states and the District of Columbia with lower prices this week. Indiana (-18 cents) has the largest week-over-week decline in the country. Hawaii, Idaho and Alaska have tiny week-over-week increases of just one-tenth of a cent.
California ($5.83) has the most expensive gas in the nation for the 11th week in a row. Hawaii ($5.65) is second, and Washington ($5.38) is third. These are the states with averages at or above $5 per gallon. This week there are 12 states and the District of Columbia with averages at or above $4 a gallon. This week 35 states have averages in the $3-range. No state has an average in the $2 range this week.
The cheapest gas in the nation is in Oklahoma ($3.37) and Kansas ($3.47). No state has had an average below $2 a gallon since January 7, 2021, when Mississippi and Texas were below that threshold. At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic drove significant declines in crude oil and gasoline demand in the U.S. and around the world.
The difference between the most expensive and least expensive states is $2.46 this week, compared to $2.44 a week ago.
Oregon is one of 44 states and the District of Columbia with higher prices now than a month ago. The national average is 10 cents more and the Oregon average is 16 cents more than a month ago. Hawaii (+48 cents) has the largest month-over-month jump in the nation. Georgia (-14 cents) has the largest month-over-month drop.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have higher prices now than a year ago. The national average is 87 cents more, while the Oregon average is $1.04 more. Arizona (+$1.23) has the largest year-over-year jump in the nation. Nebraska (+55 cents) has the smallest.
West Coast
The West Coast region continues to have the most expensive pump prices in the nation with all seven states in the top 10. It’s typical for the West Coast to have six or seven states in the top 10 as this region tends to consistently have fairly tight supplies, consuming about as much gasoline as is produced. In addition, this region is located relatively far from parts of the country where oil drilling, production and refining occurs, so transportation costs are higher. And environmental programs in this region add to the cost of production, storage and distribution.
| Rank | Region | Price on 4/21/2026 |
| 1 | California | $5.83 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $5.65 |
| 3 | Washington | $5.38 |
| 4 | Oregon | $4.98 |
| 5 | Nevada | $4.93 |
| 6 | Alaska | $4.66 |
| 7 | Arizona | $4.57 |
| 8 | Idaho | $4.33 |
| 9 | Illinois | $4.29 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $4.27 |
As mentioned above, California has the most expensive gas in the country for the 11th consecutive week. Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, and Arizona and round out the top seven. Oregon is fourth most expensive for the second week in a row.
All seven states in the West Coast region have small to moderate changes in their average pump prices this week. Arizona (-10 cents), California (-6 cents), Nevada (-4 cents), Washington (-1 cent), and Oregon (-1 cent) have week-over-week declines. Hawaii (+1/10th of a cent) and Alaska (+1/10th of a cent) have tiny week-over-week increases.
The refinery utilization rate on the West Coast fell from 85.8% to 82.5% for the week ending April 10. This rate has ranged between about 72% to 93% in the last year. The latest national refinery utilization rate decreased from 92.0% to 89.6%
The refinery utilization rate measures how much crude oil refineries are processing as a percentage of their maximum capacity. A low or declining rate can put upward pressure on pump prices, while a high or rising rate can put downward pressure on pump prices.
According to EIA’s latest weekly report, total gas stocks in the region ticked up from 28.07 million bbl. to 28.33 million bbl. for the week ending April 10. An increase in gasoline stocks can put downward pressure on pump prices, while a decrease in gasoline stocks can put upward pressure on pump prices.
Oil market dynamics
Crude oil prices continue to be volatile. Crude prices rose to start this week on renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty on whether peace talks between the U.S. and Iran will proceed this week. Oil prices have seen significant ups and downs since the start o the Iran conflict, as markets react to the daily changes in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the EIA reports that crude oil inventories decreased by 0.9 million barrels from the previous week. At 463.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 1% above the five-year average for this time of year.
At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, WTI plunged $10.84 to close at $83.85. At the close of Monday’s formal trading session, WTI rose $5.76 to close at $89.61. Today crude is trading around $92, compared to $91 a week ago. Crude prices are about $30 more than a year ago. ($63.08 on April 21, 2025)
Drivers can find current gas prices along their route with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.
