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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

EIA: Gasoline Prices to Peak at $4.15 per Gallon in August

June 11, 2008

The average price for regular gasoline in the United States is now greater than $4 per gallon and is projected to keep climbing until August, according to DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA's "Short-Term Energy Outlook," released on June 10, expects regular gasoline prices to peak at $4.15 per gallon and to average $3.78 per gallon for the year. Diesel fuel prices are projected to remain near the June 2 price of $4.71 per gallon over the next few months, with an average price of $4.32 per gallon for the year. Spot prices for natural gas are also up, at $11.65 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf), a rise of $1.16 per Mcf from the average spot price in April. The spot price is expected to average $11 per Mcf for the year. And with fuel prices up, electricity prices are also expected to increase by about 3.7% in 2008 and another 3.6% in 2009.

The main driver for all these prices, of course, is the cost of crude oil, which surged to a record $138 per barrel on June 6. With the combination of strong demand and tight supply expected to continue, the EIA now projects average crude oil prices of $122 per barrel in 2008 and $126 per barrel in 2009. This represents a shift in thinking, because until now, the EIA has always forecasted a drop in crude oil prices in 2009. In fact, last month's outlook projected average crude oil prices of $110 per barrel in 2008 and $103 per barrel in 2009. The difference is caused by lower expectations for increased oil supplies, as oil production from countries outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is currently lower than last year. Meanwhile, nearly all the surplus production capacity is located in Saudi Arabia. See the current and previous issues of the "Short-Term Energy Outlook" on the EIA Web site, and for the latest prices on oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel, see the New York Mercantile Exchange Web site and the American Automobile Association's "Fuel Gauge Report."