EIA Survey Shows U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices Rising for 11th Consecutive Week

A survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that retail gasoline prices across the United States have increased for 11 consecutive weeks, with the largest increase in the Midwest and the highest average gas prices in the West Coast. The oil price increase is expected to be mainly caused by reduced productivity at refineries due to power shortages.

According to comprehensive foreign reports on April 9, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said that in the week ending April 9, the average retail price of gasoline in the United States rose by 9.5 cents to $2.802 per gallon.

EIA said that gasoline retail prices have increased for 11 consecutive weeks, an increase of 11.9 cents compared with the same period in 2006.

This time, oil prices rose across the country, with the largest increase in the Midwest, rising 13 cents to $2.744 per gallon. The reason for this price increase is due to reduced productivity at large refineries in various regions due to power shortages.

The West Coast region had the smallest increase, with an average regional increase of 4.2 cents per gallon, but the region still had the highest average gas price, reaching $3.138 per gallon. Oil prices on the West Coast have remained above $3 for three consecutive weeks.

High oil prices in California are caused by extremely low refinery productivity, high maintenance costs and unexpected expenses.

EIA made the above gasoline price survey results after conducting a telephone sample survey of approximately 900 gas stations.