Gas prices are inching up, but not too high

If you’ve sensed the price of gas is moving upward you are not seeing things. But do not worry too much that suddenly prices will be back up in the $3 range.

As of March 1 prices in Cheney were all under $1.90 a gallon with City Fuel leading the way at $1.84. Maverik, the driver of last year’s “gas wars” is at $1.89 along with Mitchell’s and Conoco.

The American Automobile Association expects gas prices to move higher, but not much. “Prices are not expected to rise as high as in recent years,” AAA Oregon/Idaho public affairs director Marie Dodds said in a recent report on prices.

Despite some of the lowest crude oil prices in years, the price of one of the end products, gasoline, will move up slightly as refineries begin their changeover to summer blends.

“Right when we’re getting into March-April timing we’re starting that transition to more expensive summer blend,” Will Speer, senior petroleum analyst, Gasbuddy.com said.

The new gasoline blend is adjusted to help relieve vapor pressure in a car’s gas tank as temperatures rise. “In the summer you burn a cleaner gasoline because of higher temperatures,” Speer said. Winter blends require a higher vapor pressure allowing a car’s engine to work in cases of extreme cold.

Another factor in the price increase is the price of crude oil has strengthened slightly. Earlier this year that price was below $30 a barrel. “Now we’re trending at $33, almost $34, so a little bit of strength there,” Speer said.

Long term, prices are expected to remain relatively stable. “The good news for motorists is that it is going to cap how high gas prices go this summer,” Speer said. That is due to significant stockpiles of refined fuel.

The lowest price in the state is on the Yakima Indian Reservation at $1.59; the highest is $2.77 on Orcas Island. The recent average in the state of Washington is $2.02 a gallon. Washington had the country’s fourth-highest price for gas, behind Hawaii, California and Alaska.

The nation is in somewhat uncharted waters when it comes to the price of gasoline, at least in the last decade.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said regular gasoline will average $1.98 a gallon in 2016 in the U.S. The last time gas averaged less than $2 a gallon for a full year was 2004 the office said. That was also the last time stations in some states sold fuel below $1 a gallon.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.