East Valley drivers saw gas prices inch up more than 4 cents in the last week to end weeks of decreases, according to AAA Arizona.
Drivers were paying an average $3.247 in East Valley cities on Thursday, just above the state average of $3.317. The statewide average was up 3.9 cents over the previous week.
Nationally, pump prices continued their upward trend, increasing 12.8 cents to $3.662 per gallon.
The price of oil saw little movement this week, trading steady in the mid $90-per-barrel range. However, a fire at the Chevron refinery in California on Monday spurred movement in prices at the pump along the West coast. The partial shutdown of this refinery has driven wholesale prices in San Francisco and Los Angeles up more than 30 cents a gallon.
Tucson and Flagstaff hold the low and high state fuel averages at $3.179 and $3.549 per gallon, respectively. South Carolina and Connecticut hold the low and high price extremes for the lower 48 states at $3.239 and $3.828 per gallon, respectively.
chuckles3 posted at 7:21 am on Fri, Aug 10, 2012.
George Bush's fault.
Accuracy posted at 10:29 am on Fri, Aug 10, 2012.
Nationwide average price of gas is now “$3.662 a gallon” . . . up 27 cents from July.
And the major fire at the Chevron large refinery (not George Bush) is being blamed for a massive shortage. Drivers on the West Coast can see gas prices go up 25 cents or more, and the need for extra cash for gas.