Pump prices fluctuated around the country during the week as crude oil inventories decreased and gasoline inventories increased, Wilmington-based AAA Mid-Atlantic reported.
Prices dropped slightly, thanks to higher East Coast gasoline supplies.
The least expensive gas can be found in Dover, with one station reporting a $2.50 per gallon price. Costco and BJ’s had the lowest prices in northern Delaware at $2.54 a gallon. Both require $55 to $60 a year memberships.
- Pennsylvania’s gas average is $2.96 today, down a penny overnight and down a penny in the last week.
- The Philadelphia (five-county) area gas average is $2.95 today, unchanged overnight and down 2 cents in the last week.
- New Jersey’s gas average is $2.88 today, down a penny overnight and down 3 cents in the last week.
- S. Jersey’s gas average is $2.84 today, down a penny overnight and down 5 cents in the last week.
- Delaware’s gas average is $2.67 today, unchanged overnight and down a penny in the last week.
- Dover’s gas average is $2.66 today, down a penny overnight and unchanged in the last week.
- The National gas average is $2.86 today, unchanged overnight and down a penny in the last week.
At the close of NYMEX trading on Monday, crude oil was trading at $59.67, about a quarter from Friday.
After hitting a 12-month high of $66 per barrel last month, crude has been priced mostly at the $60 mark recently. If crude prices remain low, even with demand increasing, it will contribute to less frequent price spikes.
The market continues to weigh prospects for energy demand during a rise in global cases of Covid-19. The bigger-than-expected weekly increase in U.S. gasoline stocks this week has also kept crude prices lower.
“We anticipate gasoline demand will continue to increase throughout the month as vaccinations become more widely available and weather turns warmer,” said Jana L. Tidwell, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “This will lead to fluctuation at the pump throughout the spring season.”
To check out prices in your neighborhood, log on to AAA’s Fuel Price Finder.
