COLUMBUS – Gas prices in central Ohio are down compared with last week and slightly lower than a month ago, but it’s hard to say how long it will be before price rise again due to a tightening oil supply.
The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Columbus was $2.02 in Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc., 15 cents lower than last Monday and virtually unchanged from the price on August 12.
Oil industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says higher crude oil costs caused refiners and retailers to bump up their prices. Analysts say the price of oil increased due to a decline in the nation’s oil inventories, indicating it is only a matter of time before the price at the pump also goes up.
The average price in Ohio was $2.07, a drop from $2.16 a week ago and from $2.10 last month. At this time last year, the statewide average price was $2.24.
According to the survey, Ohio’s average price was lower than the nation’s.
The national average price Monday was $2.18, down two cents from a week ago and up five cents the same time last month. The average national price a year ago was $2.35.