Refinery Problem Expected to Raise Ohio Gas Prices

“There’s been a push to be independent, and we’re seeing that now, and drivers are seeing pretty good savings”. The website was reporting Michigan’s average gas price at $2.66 per gallon and trending upward. Prices had been steadily falling since mid-June. Guell says they’ll drop eventually and should level out closer to $2 per gallon. That’s about 20 cents above the current national average, and up from $2.39 last week.

Production issues at an Indiana refinery are expected wipe out recent declines in local gasoline prices by the end of this week, according to www.GasBuddy.com senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan.

It may take a month or longer to fix the 240,000-barrel-per-day crude distillation unit after leaks in its piping were discovered, sources said. BP said the rest of the refinery is operating at reduced production. “That unit close to half the capacity of that refinery”.

Jewel Jones of Farmington says not happy about the prices, but there is nothing drivers can do about it.

McCarthy says hopefully everything will get back in line within a week, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see anymore irregular spikes throughout the week or even after.

At Lions Quick Mart, along Milton Avenue in Janesville, the price surge did not go unnoticed by patrons Thursday. Gas in McCracken County held steady around $2.251, according to GasBuddy.com.

Brett Boe, 37, was passing through Janesville on his way to Minnesota by way of Illinois.

Gas prices could reach the $3 mark by the weekend if the problem persists, DeHaan warns.

“I just don’t know how it can go up like that you know in a few days”, said Arn Messana who only put 10 dollars in his tank. “So buckle up, this is a speed bump in the road to see lower prices”.

Dan Stoikes, 37, blamed fate. Smith said he purchased the fuel-efficient auto with hopes of saving money on gas.