STATE WIDE–The national gas average has surpassed $3 per gallon of regular, said Patrick DeHaan, head of Petroleum Analysis at Gasbuddy.com. Blame is being placed on the hack of the Colonial Pipeline and the ensuing panic buying in southern states served by the pipeline.
While the national average was at $3.03, gas in Indiana is nearly at $3 per gallon. Gasbuddy reported the state average Wednesday morning was $2.86 per gallon, and rising.
The cheapest gas in the state was in Portland, at $2.68 per gallon.
“While this is not a milestone anyone wants to celebrate, it’s a sign that things are slowly returning to normal,” said DeHaan. “In this case, rising gas prices are a sign Americans are getting back out into the world, attending baseball games, going to concerts, taking a road trip, basically staying anywhere but at home.”
He predicted that prices may stay high for the summer.
“This summer may see some blockbuster demand for fuel as well, as Americans find it very challenging to travel internationally, leading many to stay in the confines of U.S. borders, boosting some weeks to potentially record gasoline demand.”
The pipeline is expected to be back online by this weekend.
