C.J. Gish
Even with President Biden’s Thursday decision to release 1 million barrels of oil (bbl) per day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) for six months, Florida’s statewide price per gallon increased five cents to $4.17 since last week.
According to AAA’s weekly report, Biden’s announcement sent the global price of oil down to $100 bbl from last week’s $110 bbl, leading to the nationwide price of gas to fall to $4.18—but the Sunshine State bucked that trend.
In Gainesville, average prices increased from $4.12 to $4.17 last week.
According to GasBuddy.com, the following locations have the best prices in Alachua County:
- $3.96 at Pilot, 17276 US 301, Waldo
- $3.99 at Love’s Travel Stop, 5615 SE US 301, Hawthorne
- $3.99 at Raceway, 15330 NW US 301, Waldo
- $3.99 at Murphy Express, 6823 NW 13th St., Gainesville
- $3.99 at Sam’s Club, 4400 SW 33rd Place, Gainesville
- $4.03 at Chevron, 830 NW 1st St., High Springs
- $4.05 at Wawa, 2305 NW 13th St., Gainesville
- $4.05 at The Short Stop, 2610 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville
- $4.05 at Pure, 405 NE 1st, High Spring
AAA shows Florida is ranked 15th in the nation for the highest average gas cost. The state record high soared to $4.35 on March 10.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and its allies announced last week it will gradually increase its oil production by 400,000 barrels per day (b/d) in monthly increases, according to the AAA release.
“The upward push on oil prices caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine is meeting stronger downward pressure from the planned SPR oil release and increased COVID fears in China,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement. “And lower global oil prices are reflected in falling pump prices for consumers in the U.S.”
Monday’s national average for a gallon of gas is $4.18, a decrease of six cents less than a week ago, but 35 cents more than a month ago, and $1.31 more than a year ago, according to the AAA release.
Quick Stats
The nation’s top 10 largest weekly decreases: Connecticut (−27 cents), Michigan (−10 cents), Wisconsin (−9 cents), Indiana (−9 cents), Georgia (−8 cents), Ohio (−8 cents), North Carolina (−8 cents), South Carolina (−8 cents), Texas (−7 cents) and Rhode Island (−7 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Missouri ($3.73), Oklahoma ($3.75), Kansas ($3.75), Arkansas ($3.77), Maryland ($3.79), Texas ($3.80), Nebraska ($3.83), South Carolina ($3.85), Iowa ($3.85) and Wisconsin ($3.86).
