COLUMBUS – Drivers in Ohio have seen gas prices creep upward in the past week as refineries in the region cut production.
The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.13 in Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That’s 9 cents higher than a week ago and well above the average of $1.84 at this time last year.
Ohio’s 7-cent increase in the statewide average price was the biggest jump in the nation, the AAA said. Regional gasoline stocks increased but refinery operations dropped for the third consecutive week.
The national average was about $2.29 on Monday, up a penny from a week ago and much higher than the average of $1.74 a year ago.
Analysts for the auto club say prices will likely rise as more refiners begin to switch from winter-blend to summer-blend gasoline and driver demand increases.
Oil industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says price hikes were due to small increases in crude oil and wholesale gas prices.