Gas prices at record high in Ann Arbor area for this time of year
The price for regular gas was nearly $3.60 a gallon at the BP station at South Main and William streets in Ann Arbor this morning.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
The reason: uncertainty surrounding threats from Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil supply route, and an uptick in the U.S. economy, which puts upward pressure on oil prices.
The Ann Arbor average price today is 3.549, according to GasBuddy. A year ago today the price was $3.10 said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst. Gas prices hit their highest level in the spring of last year, when the average price in the Ann Arbor area hit $4.27 per gallon, data from GasBuddy.com show.
The average price per gallon in Michigan has risen about 22 cents in the past month, DeHaan said.
The cheapest price in the Ann Arbor area today was $3.35 per gallon at Sam’s Club at 5450 Carpenter Road, GasBudy.com data showed this morning. Several stations were selling gas for $3.69 per gallon, the highest price listed by GasBuddy.
GasBuddy predicts extreme volatility in gas prices for 2012. The forecast expects the highest prices for the year to come in May, when the median price across the country is expected to reach $3.95 per gallon.
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Comments
clownfish
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 1:32 p.m.
<a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/is-obama-to-blame-for-4-gasoline/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/is-obama-to-blame-for-4-gasoline/</a> "Keystone oil" will be exported. This pipeline will do very little to lower the price of gas in the USA. But, don't let that stop you from listening to the same people that told you about the imminent dangers of Iraqi wmd's, how Obama is taking our guns, how Obama is the sole reason for 6-9% spikes in health insurance, how Obama was born in Kenya, hoe the Iraq war would take a few months and was finished in October of 2003 and that you should buy gold when it spikes high. These people have your interest at heart.
Carole
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 11:38 a.m.
Rubbish regarding the rise in the cost of gas having to do with Iran. It has to do with GREED. During the past, the price of gas has risen and fell continually during the week for no other reason than to provide profit for the oil companies. Who runs the country, big oil corporations.
McGiver
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 11:31 a.m.
If Obama would announce to the world the United States is going to develop every energy resource we have, gas prices would drop immediately due to the future expectation of increase supply.
Lily'sMom
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 6:31 a.m.
Shucks. Y'all should have been praying harder for Michele Bachman to win the nomination for Pres. She promised that when she was President that gas prices would go below $2.00.
jbhuron
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 1:30 a.m.
I've never understood why the people of Ann Arbor have never fought paying a 20 cent premium for their gas compared to every other city touching them. I understand the fancy pants restaurants might be nice, but gas is gas. Maybe the AA gas stations enrich it with aromatherapy or something.
Wrangler
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 11:15 p.m.
The Black Stallion3 for Persident!
Wrangler
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 11:16 p.m.
President!
WalkingJoe
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 7:55 p.m.
Funny that people should blame Obama, when my Dad was still alive he blamed Bush. I guess high gas prices are just the fault of whoever happens to be president.
ralph mcgraw
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
Blaming Obama for higher gas prices is pretty funny! Just go into Ypsi and find gas prices anywhere from 15 cents to 30 cents cheaper ALL the time as compared to Ann Arbor. You needn't blame Obama, blame the ridiculous property taxes these businesses have to pay in Ann Arbor.
MRunner73
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:38 p.m.
It does not matter who is President. Prices are driven up in the free market. That means it depends on Geopolitical news, the values of the US Dollar and the supply-demand ratios. Reformulated gasoline is traded daily on the Inter-Continental Exchange (ICE). Each state has it's own taxation added on. In Michigan, it about 65 cents (per State Atty General data) added to the market price. If RBOB (Reformulated gasoline) is at $2.75, the fair market value at the pump should be about $3.40. We are seeing that in some parts of town while others are at $3.59. Clearly overpriced. Try to go where prices are cheaper, drive less if possible. The market is demand sensitive, but only when it has overpriced itself like it does about every May. Get ready for the pre spring price increases, this is just the beginning.
say it plain
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 7:01 p.m.
But isn't the 'free market' now also influenced by market players who don't ever have to even *consider* taking delivery, so they're essentially messing with us all?
sh1
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:30 p.m.
And when gas prices go back down I'll remind all of you to thank Obama, since common wisdom is that he's pulling the strings on this.
USRepublic
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:29 p.m.
How's that solar stuff working out?
Top Cat
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:26 p.m.
Gasoline was $1.84 per gallon in January 2009 when Obama was inaugurated and began his War on carbon based energy.
John Q
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 8:30 p.m.
What war? "The U.S. exported more oil-based fuels than it imported in the first nine months of this year, making it likely that 2011 will be the first time since 1949 that the nation is a net exporter of such goods, primarily diesel. That's not all. The U.S. has reversed another decades-long trend. It began producing more crude oil in 2008 than the year before and accelerated that upswing 3% in the first nine months of this year compared with the same period in 2010. That production has helped reduce U.S. imports of crude oil by about 10% since 2006."
The Black Stallion3
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 7:19 p.m.
sh1.....are you marching today?
MRunner73
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:43 p.m.
That was right after the whole crude oil market collapse from $140+/bbl to $45/bbl in three months. Blame the speculators in the free market, the bubble collapsed.
sh1
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
And yet prices are nowhere near as high as they were under the Bush presidency: <a href="http://gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx" rel='nofollow'>http://gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx</a>
joe.blow
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:53 p.m.
Thank you Obama. Love the high gas prices, let me guess, there someone else's fault?
clownfish
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 1:27 p.m.
<a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/is-obama-to-blame-for-4-gasoline/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/is-obama-to-blame-for-4-gasoline/</a>
joe.blow
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 3:53 a.m.
All Obama would have to say to help us poorer Americans is "drill baby drill."
Steve
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 12:34 a.m.
Yes, it is. Keep an eye on gas prices and economic data. When the economy is doing better, gas prices go up. When poor economic data is released, gas prices go down. All we can do is grin an bear it because we must let the free market have its way.
djm12652
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:44 p.m.
High gas prices during Restaurant Week? wow that's a surprise....
Smart Logic
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
While I do not care for political gouging, I hope all the conspiracy theorists about the Bush presidency and fuel prices take a look at this. This is going to happen no matter who is president, and what they claim.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:05 p.m.
Bingo! Give that man a Kewpie doll!
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:35 p.m.
I was under the impression Obama was going to take care of all of this for us: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI</a>
63Townie
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:34 p.m.
Price gouging in Ann Arbor? This is not news.
Ignatz
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:25 p.m.
I love it how people guessing as to what may happen with situations x, y and z can influence the price of this important commodity. I wonder where their investements may lie.
lordhelmet
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:25 p.m.
And what is Obama's answer? Prohibit oil exploration, a pipeline, and instead blow thousands per car on the horrible Chevy Volt and inefficient wind and solar power?
clownfish
Tue, Jan 17, 2012 : 1:25 p.m.
Don't let any facts get in your way. Oil exploration is up, way up, since Obama took office. What you are seeing in The Market is...The Market at work. Speculators and Supply and demand are what is driving up the price. Sorry 'bout that. Wind and solar power are not driving up the price of gas.
sh1
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:16 p.m.
This is one of Obama's answers, but something tells me you won't like it: <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/11/obama-seeks-to-double-auto-fuel-efficiency/1" rel='nofollow'>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/11/obama-seeks-to-double-auto-fuel-efficiency/1</a>
Homeland Conspiracy
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 6:01 p.m.
It seems the promise of job creation for taxpayer funded green initiatives, such as the Chevy Volt development, is partially being kept. The only problem is that many of those jobs are going to China. General Motors confirmed last week that it would develop an electric vehicle platform in China. The pipeline that is so talked about is RAPING Canada's land to get it...Check out the Doc. H2Oil
Bababooey
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
What is Obama's answer?? What is the answer from the oil producers? Why is the price so high? Obama does not set the price of oil whether you want to believe that or not.
joe.blow
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:55 p.m.
The Volt. A car that is made for money than it sells for. A car that is subsidized by the government to exist. A car that gets you a nice tax refund. A car that can't even sell the limited number that have been produced. Yes, Government, a great way to solve problems, by throwing money at them until we all go insane!
Fordie
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:34 p.m.
And if we ever want to stop using oil (which we need to do for so many reasons), we need to invest in those things. Inefficiencies are corrected overtime as products improve (same is true for the not-so-horrible Volt), but the money for innovation has to come from somewhere. I'm sorry if long-term thinking puts the tiniest short-term inconvenience on you.
John Devine
Mon, Jan 16, 2012 : 5:22 p.m.
Try going out of Ann Arbor to Baker & I 94 338 a gallon at truck stops