Oregon, Nationwide Gas Prices Holding Steady

Gas prices this week have leveled out in all four of Oregon's measured metropolitan areas.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Gas prices in Oregon remain flat, after skyrocketing this fall.

AAA Oregon Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds says, "The national average is $3.09 for the second week in a row, while Oregon's statewide average is again at $3.15 per gallon. Consumers are wondering what gas prices will do in the remaining weeks of 2008. Our best guess is that prices will continue to hold fairly steady."

The price of crude has fallen a couple dollars this week to around $95 per barrel after increased speculation that OPEC will decide at a meeting next week to boost production.

Nationally we're paying 85 cents more per gallon at the pumps than a year ago, and in Oregon 58 cents more. The price of crude oil has increased nearly $30 per barrel over the past few months.

Gas prices this week have leveled out in all four of Oregon's measured metropolitan areas, and in Vancouver, WA.

In Vancouver, prices are up 1/2 cent. In Portland, prices are down 1/2 cent. In Salem, and Medford/Ashland, prices are the same as last week. And in Eugene/Springfield, prices are down two cents per gallon this week.

Oregon's gas prices are now 11th highest in the nation, up from 12th-highest last week.

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California again has the most expensive gas in the country at $3.416, followed by Hawaii at $3.404, New York at $3.287, Connecticut at $3.257 and Washington at $3.254. New Jersey and South Carolina have the least expensive gas in the country at $2.946 per gallon.

The price of diesel remains high.

In the past week, Oregon's average diesel price has declined 1/2 cent to $3.586 per gallon, compared to $2.927 a year ago. The national average for diesel is currently $3.477 compared with $2.647 last year.

Hawaii has the highest statewide average price for diesel at $3.855. In Washington, diesel averages $3.726; California, $3.707; Idaho, $3.689, and Nevada, $3.543.

Source: AAA Oregon