NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Gas prices are back on the rise across the country with an average cost of $3.80 a gallon, according to AAA.
In Louisiana, the average is $3.41, about 15 cents higher than it was weeks prior.
“It’s expensive. My car takes premium, and the whole summer I’ve been paying about $4 a gallon and that doesn’t last very long. It’s got a tiny gas tank, so I’m constantly having to stop and fill up; and we’re talking $40-$50 every four days,” said gas station customer Amanda Hudson.
According to Don Redman with AAA Louisiana, one of the major factors in this increase is the rise in crude oil prices, often caused by production cuts overseas.
“Up to yesterday, it was selling about $82 a barrel. It has retreated somewhat today to about $79 a barrel, but when we look back to what it was in June, crude was selling for $67 a barrel,” said Redman.
Production decreases in the Gulf of Mexico are also to blame, and refinery capacity is slowing down due to the nationwide heatwave unsafe for workers.
“It becomes a very potentially dangerous situation, so when typically this time of the year, you would see refineries operating at about 98% capacity. It’s more like 90,” Redman said.
As a result, the high prices at the pump may be with us for a while.
“I think I just put in $60 when it used to cost me about $35 to fill my tank, and now I just paid the other day about, it was either $58 or $56 to almost fill my tank,” said customer Travis Habeney.
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