The average price of gasoline across South Central Ohio was seven cents higher this week at $2.11 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s latest gas price report.
That estimate is over a dime lower than the average price in Hillsboro, which was around $2.22 a gallon at most mini-marts on Thursday afternoon.
While AAA reported most of the Great Lakes and Central region saw smaller increases of three cents or less at the pump this week, North Dakota and Ohio landed in the top ten for the largest weekly jumps, at nine and six cents respectively.
According to the Energy Information Administration, gas prices in the region will continue to increase, though at a slower rate, in the weeks ahead.
AAA’s average price per gallon in South Central Ohio was up from last week’s average of $2.04 but lower than the price motorists were paying one year ago, which was $2.58 per gallon.
The average price of self-serve unleaded fuel in Hillsboro ranged from a low of $2.21 at Murphy Oil/Walmart to a high of $2.25 at Marathon at the intersection of E. Main St. and High St.
In the region, prices in Washington Court House ranged from a low $1.99 at the Marathon station located at Columbus Ave. and Ogle St., to a high of $2.19 at Pettit’s at the corner of North St. and E. Court St, according to GasBuddy.com.
In Wilmington, the price of gas at the BP station at the interchange of S.R. 73 and I-71 was $2.09, and UDF at W. Main and Grant St. was at $2.22, according to GasBuddy.com.
In Chillicothe, gas was a low $2.06 per gallon at Sam’s Club at N. Bridge St. and Foxtrail Rd., and a high of $2.19 at Marathon at the corner of Pleasant Valley Rd. and Clinton Rd.
For other regional towns, GasBuddy.com showed prices in both Georgetown and West Union at $2.25 per gallon, with comparable prices found in Mt. Orab at the Appalachian Highway (SR 32).
The cheapest gas prices in the Buckeye State as of Thursday could be found at the Valero station in Bellefontaine at $1.79 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.
Adding fuel to the rise in gas prices was a 91-cent increase in the price of crude oil at the end of the West Texas Intermediate June 19 trading session, where prices settled at $39.75 per barrel, AAA reported.
According to AAA, domestic crude prices increased at the end of last week amid increased optimism regarding trade relations between the U.S. and China. There was a greater focus on compliance with the production reduction agreement between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its partners, including Russia.
OPEC had worked to cut global crude production by 9.7 million barrels per day since May 1, and it remained unclear if the cartel’s agreement would extend into August since it is currently set to expire at the end of July.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571
