Central Ohio gas prices unchanged, but a jump is expected soon
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — It was an uneventful week at the pumps in central Ohio as average gas prices remained unchanged from one week ago.
According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in and around Columbus, Ohio, gas prices did not budge from last week, averaging out at $2.94 per gallon. The current price is 14.6 cents per gallon higher than four weeks ago and 12.9 cents lower than this time one year ago.
The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.39 a gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $3.19, a difference of 80 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also stood still at $2.91 per gallon.
Nationally, gas prices experienced a small dip of 1.4 cents per gallon to average out at $2.99, but the price of diesel went in the opposite direction, climbing by 2.5 cents, settling in at $3.66 per gallon.
While no news is generally good news, experts believe prices in the Midwest are expected to rise due to unforeseen refinery issues and increased oil production for the month of December.
“The national average once again briefly dipped below the $3 per gallon mark, but the drop will be short-lived,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Gas prices are likely to rebound soon in the Great Lakes states due to ongoing refinery challenges. For now, expect the national average to hover in the low-$3 range, potentially drifting lower once refinery issues are resolved.”