US retail gasoline posts unusual climb

US retail gasoline prices marked a rare late-summer increase last week, the strongest for the period since 2005.

National average gasoline prices increased by 4.4¢/USG to $2.193/USG, their highest average since mid-July, according to the Energy Information Administration. Prices have fallen during the week in eight of the past ten years, and last week marked the largest increase since a 6.2¢/USG increase in 2005. Current-year prices remain 44.4¢/USG lower than the same week last year.

Average prices rose in every region, led by a 5.1¢/USG increase in the US Atlantic coast, to 2.126/USG. Rocky mountain prices moved the least, higher by 1.5¢/USG to $2.229/USG.

US Gulf coast prices remained the lowest of any region, at $1.964/USG. But the regional average was also the narrowest to year-ago prices, at 12.7¢/USG.

National average on-highway diesel increased by 6¢/USG to $2.37/USG. US Gulf coast prices increased by 7¢/USG to $2.249/USG, following a week with several refinery disruptions, including a fire on a distillates-producing hydrocracker at Motiva's 225,000 b/d refinery in Convent, Louisiana.

US west coast prices posted the smallest increase, higher by 4¢/USG to $2.623/USG.

US average prices $/USG 22-Aug 15-Aug &#177; Regular gasoline ($/USG) National average 2.193 2.149 0.044 East coast 2.126 2.075 0.051 Midcontinent 2.171 2.121 0.050 Gulf coast 1.964 1.938 0.026 Rocky Mountains 2.229 2.214 0.015 West coast 2.573 2.534 0.039 Diesel ($/USG) National average 2.370 2.310 0.060 East coast 2.367 2.314 0.053 Midcontinent 2.342 2.273 0.069 Gulf coast 2.249 2.179 0.070 Rocky Mountains 2.435 2.394 0.041 West coast 2.623 2.583 0.040 — EIA

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