Average Kansas per gallon price $2.34

AAA

TOPEKA – Kansas’ average price at the pump continued its recent decline, falling another two cents this week to $2.34 a gallon, the fifth lowest state average in the country, reports AAA Kansas. Only Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana have less expensive gas.

“Our part of the country has enjoyed the lowest prices in the nation of late, but from a national perspective, we’re seeing the highest cost for gas as we head into October in the past two years,” said AAA Kansas spokesperson Shawn Steward. “We still expect to see our usual autumn drop in gas prices, but it looks like that is happening slower than normal, as oil refineries continue to recover and return to full operations after the recent hurricanes.”

According to AAA Kansas, this week’s Kansas gas price extremes are:
HIGH: Lincoln (Lincoln County) – $2.65
LOW: Haven (Reno County) – $2.15

AAA Kansas reports that Wichita, with $2.27/gallon pump prices ranks as the 11th lowest metro area in the nation, while Topeka ($2.34/gallon) ranks 32nd lowest. Of the 10 Kansas cities regularly highlighted by AAA Kansas (see chart below), Lawrence (-6 cents), Kansas City, Kan. (-5) and Pittsburg (-4) saw the largest price decreases, while prices in Salina (+3) and Hays (+1) actually rose slightly.

National Perspective
At $2.55, the national gas price average is just two cents cheaper on the week and the most expensive pump price seen at start of October since 2015, when motorists where paying $2.29 for a gallon of unleaded.

“When fall arrives, motorists expect gas prices to be cheaper than they were in the summer. That’s just not the case this year,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesperson. “Back-to-back hurricanes packed a punch to Gulf Coast refineries’ gasoline production and inventory levels. As they play catch-up, gas prices are going to be higher than we’d like to see.”

Today, Gulf Coast refineries are building toward resuming normal operations, but it could take some longer than others to return to pre-hurricane production rates. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that Gulf Coast utilization rates are up nearly 12 percent to 85 percent of capacity since last week. As utilization rates increase and operations improve, gas prices will drop.

“While the market continues to be volatile, post-hurricanes, AAA expects gas prices to slowly, but steadily drop by up to ten cents in the coming month,” added Steward.
Today, motorists can find gas for $2.50 or less at 56 percent of gas stations in the country.

Great Lakes and Central States Report
Unlike any other region in the country, five Great Lakes and Central states are paying more for a gallon of gasoline on the week: Indiana (+11 cents), Ohio (+9 cents), Michigan (+9 cents), Illinois (+7 cents) and Wisconsin (+2 cent). Of note, last week Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Illinois saw gas prices drop almost as much as they increased this week. As stated in previous reports, the region often sees volatile drops and increases from week to week. All other states in the region (including Kansas) are paying five to one cents less at the pump compared to one week ago.

Gasoline inventories took a small drop, about 500,000 bbl, on the week. The South and Southeast was the only other region to see levels drop, according to the EIA.