Salem; Oregon Gas Prices Take a Huge Plunge over the Past Week
The biggest price drop in Oregon occurred in Medford-Ashland where the price fell 9-cents to $3.68.
(SALEM, Ore.) — The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Salem, and throughout the state of Oregon took one huge plunge over the past week.
In Salem, the average price fell 4-cents to $3.74. In Portland-Vancouver the price slid down 8-cents to $3.70, while in Eugene-Springfield the price dropped a whopping 7-cents to $3.71. The biggest price drop in Oregon occurred in Medford-Ashland where the price fell 9-cents to $3.68.
For the week, the national average for regular unleaded falls four cents to $3.34 a gallon while Oregon’s average plummets seven cents to $3.75 per gallon.
AAA Oregon/Idaho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds says, “Drivers in the Pacific states continue to pay the highest prices in the country. The top five most expensive states for gas are all in this region: Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. Lingering refinery issues have kept prices here elevated for much of the spring and summer.”
A problem at ExxonMobil’s refinery in Torrance, California may keep upward pressure on West Coast prices. Problems at the refinery were reported last week and a restart of the affected units at the facility was apparently unsuccessful over the weekend.
While a spokesperson for ExxonMobil says there has been no impact on production to date, retail prices in areas supplied by this refinery could see prices jump in the coming days if the unit remains offline and output is impacted.
Nationally, gas prices are declining one week past the start of the seasonal fuel switch in many parts of the country. This is due to decreased demand, cheaper crude oil and the cost savings associated with producing winter-blend fuel, which is less expensive to produce.
The national average peaked at $3.70 a gallon on April 28. Oregon’s average reached its 2014 high of $3.99 on July 3.
Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Nevada are the only states where gas prices are more expensive than a year ago. Drivers in the rest of the states and Washington D.C. are enjoying a year-over-year discount.
For the second week in a row, there’s only one state, Hawaii, with regular unleaded at or above $4 a gallon. For the 35th week in a row, there are no states with an average below $3 per gallon, but for the first time in 31 weeks, there are two states, Mississippi and South Carolina, within a dime of this mark with both averages at $3.09 a gallon.
Hawaii has the most expensive gas in the country for the 100th consecutive week at $4.23, followed by Alaska at $3.95, Washington at $3.75 (down seven cents and up from fourth last week), Oregon at $3.75 (down seven cents and down from third last week), and California at $3.73 (down four cents and fifth for the sixth consecutive week).
Idaho is sixth for the fifth week in a row at $3.67 (down a nickel). Mississippi has the cheapest gas in the country for the second week in a row at $3.09 a gallon (down three cents).
Diesel prices are moving lower in many markets:
The national average loses two cents to $3.75 a gallon. Oregon’s average slips three cents to $3.98. Diesel is at or above $4 a gallon in six states, down from seven last week.
Hawaii is most expensive at $4.84, followed by Alaska at $4.08, New York at $4.08, Connecticut at $4.08 and Washington at $4.07 (down four cents).
California is sixth at $4.04 (down two cents). Oregon is seventh for the fourth week in a row. Idaho is eighth for the third consecutive week at $3.94 (down two cents).
A year ago, the national average for diesel was $3.93 and Oregon's was $3.94.
Information in this story provided by AAA Oregon, and AAA Fuel Gauge Report
