After rising dramatically following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the price of gas reached a record, topping a high that had stood for nearly 14 years.
As of Tuesday morning, the average national price for a gallon of regular gasoline touched $4.17, according to AAA, the highest price ever, not accounting for inflation. That was up from $4.07 on Monday and $3.61 a week earlier.
The previous high was $4.11 on July 17, 2008, according to AAA. That would come to around $5.25 today when adjusted for inflation.
The cost for diesel is nearing the record of $4.84, also set in July 2008. The price for a gallon of diesel is $4.75, more than double what it was in October 2020.
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One of the main components of the rising costs is the invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. Tom Kloza, chief global analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, told USA TODAY that Russia is the second-largest oil producer in the world, behind the United States.
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The Associated Press reported a barrel of U.S. crude oil cost $119.40 per barrel, and Brent crude, the international standard, cost $123.21 per barrel on Monday.
Gas prices are likely to keep rising. The fuel-savings app GasBuddy projects prices will probably average $4.25 in May and stay over $4 until November.
“Americans have never seen gasoline prices this high, nor have we seen the pace of increases so fast and furious. That combination makes this situation all the more remarkable and intense, with crippling sanctions on Russia curbing their flow of oil, leading to the massive spike in the price of all fuels: gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and more," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a statement Monday.
De Haan said in a tweet Sunday the chances of a $5 nationwide average are "somewhat remote" but remain a small possibility.
Most expensive gas in the USA
As is historically the case, California has the most expensive prices in the country, averaging $5.44 a gallon as of Tuesday. The Golden State is the only one to average more than $5 a gallon.
The most expensive county for gas is Mono County, which borders Nevada and includes the tourist destination Mammoth Mountain. The average price is $6.02.
Some gas locations reported prices about $2 over the state average. Stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco sell regular gas for more than $6 per gallon, some reaching nearly $7. In the city of Gorda, about 140 miles south of San Francisco on the coast, one station charged $7.59, KSBW reported.
As of Tuesday morning, 28 states have average prices over $4. Only five states – South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas – averaged less than $3.80. The cheapest state to get gas is Oklahoma at $3.71.
Here are the most expensive average costs of gas per gallon in the country, per AAA:
- California ($5.44)
- Hawaii ($4.71)
- Nevada ($4.67)
- Oregon ($4.58)
- Washington ($4.54)
- Alaska ($4.50)
- Illinois ($4.42)
- New York ($4.36)
- Connecticut ($4.35)
- Pennsylvania ($4.31)
Contributing: Mike Snider, Brett Molina
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
One day after the record for the average cost of gas nationwide was broken, prices at the pump continued to climb on Wednesday, jumping an average of 8 cents.
The national average for a regular gallon of gas is now $4.25, according to AAA. On Tuesday, the cost was $4.17, breaking the July 2008 record of $4.11, which would be around $5.25 today when adjusted for inflation.
Aside from inflation and loosened COVID-19 restrictions leading people to venture out more, Russia's invasion of Ukraine remains a large factor behind rising prices. Sanctions put on Russia include the country's selling of crude oil, which is one of the biggest factors in determining gas prices.
(How much are you paying for gas? How is it affecting you and your budget? Share your thoughts with USA TODAY on the form below or use this form if you have photos of your local gas station's prices to share for possible inclusion in future stories, photo galleries and social media posts.)
Russian crude oil only accounts for 3% of U.S. imports, but it has a big role because it produces "heavier, sour crude" oil, according to Ramanan Krishnamoorti, a professor at the University of Houston. He added Russia's oil is also needed because U.S. refineries are not designed to use only light, sweet crude oil.
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U.S. crude oil costs $125.52 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, costs $130.33 per barrel on Tuesday night, according to Bloomberg. Prices are likely to climb after President Joe Biden announced a ban on the U.S. import of all Russian energy products on Tuesday.
"Consumers can expect the current trend at the pump to continue as long as crude prices climb," AAA said on Monday.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy, told CNN on Tuesday "we could see a national average of $5 a gallon" based on the situation in Ukraine, days after saying it was a "somewhat remote" possibility.
Other factors in the rising gas total include the increased demand while total supply drops.
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Diesel price reaches all-time high
Regular gas price records aren't the only ones being broken.
The national average price for a gallon of diesel is now $4.88, according to AAA, breaking the record for the most expensive diesel cost, not adjusting for inflation. The previous high was $4.84 on July 17, 2008, which would be around $6.19 in today's dollars.
Diesel prices have seen a more dramatic jump in cost than regular gas, with the national average gallon of diesel at $4.75 on Tuesday, just seven days after it was $4.01.
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Most expensive, least expensive states for gas
California continues to have the highest average at $5.57 as of Wednesday and remains the only state to have an average over $5. Mono County near the Nevada border continues to have the most expensive gas in the Golden State at $6.14.
On the other side of the spectrum, Oklahoma and Kansas are tied for the cheapest average at $3.79 per gallon.
How much is gas in my state?
As of Wednesday, only 15 states have an average price less than $4. Here is the average price of gas in each state, per AAA data, in alphabetical order:
- Alabama: $4.04
- Alaska: $4.58
- Arizona: $4.39
- Arkansas: $3.84
- California: $5.57
- Colorado: $3.91
- Connecticut: $4.41
- Delaware: $4.25
- Florida: $4.21
- Georgia: $4.16
- Hawaii: $4.77
- Idaho: $4.17
- Illinois: $4.52
- Indiana: $4.23
- Iowa: $3.89
- Kansas: $3.79
- Kentucky: $4.01
- Louisiana: $4.03
- Maine: $4.25
- Maryland: $4.23
- Massachusetts: $4.30
- Michigan: $4.24
- Minnesota: $3.92
- Mississippi: $3.92
- Missouri: $3.80
- Montana: $3.95
- Nebraska: $3.87
- Nevada: $4.77
- New Hampshire: $4.23
- New Jersey: $4.32
- New Mexico: $4.11
- New York: $4.43
- North Carolina: $4.12
- North Dakota: $3.86
- Ohio: $4.07
- Oklahoma: $3.79
- Oregon: $4.66
- Pennsylvania: $4.39
- Rhode Island: $4.28
- South Carolina: $4.02
- South Dakota: $3.87
- Tennessee: $4.04
- Texas: $3.93
- Utah: $4.19
- Vermont: $4.26
- Virginia: $4.18
- Washington: $4.63
- West Virginia: $4.06
- Wisconsin: $3.99
- Wyoming: $3.92
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
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