AAA: Oregon gas prices up but should decline soon

Gas prices are holding steady near their 2015 highs, and while Oregon’s prices are up seven cents in the past week, AAA Oregon/Idaho on Tuesday predicted some relief in coming weeks.

For the week, the national average for regular unleaded slips a penny to $2.79 a gallon, while Oregon’s average climbs seven cents to $3.14.

While other parts of the country are seeing pump prices stabilize and even fall, lingering refinery issues in California continue to put upward pressure on West Coast prices, said AAA Oregon/Idaho spokeswoman Marie Dodds.

“Still, prices here are expected to edge lower in the coming weeks,” she said.

AAA believes gas prices for the Independence Day holiday will be fairly similar (within 10 cents a gallon) to where they are now.

The Oregon average is at its year-to-date high, Dodds said, while the national average is just below its year-to-date high of $2.80 reached on June 15.

“While other parts of the country are seeing pump prices stabilize and even fall, lingering refinery issues in California continue to put upward pressure on West Coast prices,” Dodds said.

“Still, prices here are expected to edge lower in the coming weeks. Gasoline production typically increases this time of year due to summer demand, and high profit margins should incentivize refineries to produce more gasoline in the near future, which may help lower gas prices over the next month.

“In the last week, we’ve seen wholesale prices move lower in California on improving supplies, and some of those declines may carry over to Oregon,” she said.

Meanwhile, GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,307 gas outlets in Oregon found average retail gasoline prices in Oregon have risen 8.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.12 a gallon on Sunday ,.

That compares with the national average that has fallen 1.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.80/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Oregon during the past week, prices Sunday were 82.9 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 9.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 5.4 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 88.9 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

“At long last the national average for a gallon of gasoline has seen a decline in the last week, helped by relief in the Great Lakes, where refinery issues seem to be behind us as several have restarted over the last week,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst.

“Unfortunately, now Oregon and Washington seem to be seeing price increases as supply has become tighter. Overall, gasoline prices remain relatively quiet, with the national average dropping just over a penny in the last week. Meanwhile, diesel prices have closed the gap between gasoline prices and have been dropping since the end of May. Diesel is just a nickel or so more expensive than a gallon of gasoline and that’ll likely remain for months,” DeHaan said.

GasBuddy.com also fuels KTVZ.COM’s Pump Patrol, where you can find the lowest citizen-reported gas prices across the High Desert.