Nebraskans are paying more at the pump. Gas prices jumped 7 cents a gallon since September 17th and there was another 10 cent jump overnight at some stations in the state. Rose White with Triple-A Nebraska says there are two reasons for the increase.
White says, “One, there have been regional refinery issues that have impacted states in the Great Lakes and the Central States Regions. The other factor is the big jump in crude oil prices. Today crude oil is trading at $72 a barrel. Last year it was $22 less at $50 a barrel. Typically every one dollar change we see in crude oil, pump prices we can see pump prices rise about two-cents a gallon. So, with the increases we’ve seen in the past week we can anticipate further increases to reflect the higher crude oil prices.”
White says the refinery inspections could take several weeks or longer if problems are found. There are six major refineries located across the Midwest and the inspections are both planned an unplanned. Maintenance and safety inspections are required by government regulators and typically take place during the low-demand season.
In Nebraska unleaded currently averages $2.82 a gallon, up 35 cents compared to prices one year ago. The national average is $2.87 a gallon, up a dime from a year ago. Again, further increases are anticipated.