Gas prices in Delaware were up a a few pennies a gallon during the past week as oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico were shut down and the Labor Day approached.
The average gas price in Wilmington was $3.74 a gallon, up about four cents lower than a week earlier. The lowest price posted was around $3.65 a gallon. The price last year was around $3.60 a gallon. That was according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
It was not immediately known if the gas prices recorded by AAA reflected a 5-cent jump overnight on news that Gulf oil production was shut down. The price hike came despite the fact that the storm does not pack winds capable of causing heavy damage to platforms and refineries.
As of Wednesday morning, concerns centered on the ability of the levees in the New Orleans area to deal with Hurricane Isaac.
Other factors affecting gas prices included equipment problems at refineries and pipelines as well as the drought, which is expected to cut production of corn used in ethanol.
