Gas prices in Delaware barely budged during the past week, Wilmington-based AAA Mid-Atlantic reported.
Below are Monday figures:
| Today’s Average | One Week Ago | One Month Ago | One Year Ago | |
| National | $3.14 | $3.13 | $3.07 | $2.19 |
| Delaware | $2.98 | $2.99 | $2.96 | $2.22 |
| Dover | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.95 | $2.22 |
| Milford/Seaford | $2.99 | $2.99 | $2.97 | $2.22 |
| Wilmington/Newark | $2.99 | $2.99 | $2.95 | $2.21 |
| Maryland | $3.00 | $3.00 | $2.99 | $2.24 |
In its latest weekly report, new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed gas demand jumped last week. The preliminary figure was the highest weekly gas demand estimate released by EIA since 1991 and only reflects one day of the Independence Day holiday weekend.
The national gas price average has increased 40% since the start of the year, from $2.25 on January 1 to $3.14 today nationwide, eight cents higher than one month ago and 96 cents more than one year ago.
The Costco and BJ’s membership clubs had among the lowest prices at $2.87 a gallon in Delaware.
Three dollars a gallon ($2.99.9) prices were common around the state.
If the trends continue, American drivers can expect gas prices to continue climbing during the busy summer driving season.
Motorists can expect gas prices to increase another 10–20 cents through the end of August, bringing the national average well over $3.25 this summer.
At the close of NYMEX trading Monday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil stood at $74.56 per barrel.
Since Memorial Day, crude prices have increased by almost 10%. Crude declined earlier in the week due to a stronger dollar and market concerns about excess crude supply. However, prices reversed course following the release of EIA’s report that showed total domestic crude inventories decreased last week, inching closer to a seven-year high ($76.40/barrel).
“Unlike the national gas average, prices around the Delaware Valley haven’t budged in the last week,” said Jana L. Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “However, rising gasoline demand, coupled with high crude oil prices, could push gas prices 10 to 20 cents higher through the summer driving season.”
To check out gas prices in your neighborhood, log on to AAA’s Fuel Price Finder (http://www.AAA.com/fuelfinder).
