Gas pump rise fueled by Harvey

ALBANY — While it’s nowhere close to record highs, retail gas, as expected, began increasing sharply in the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s devastation that has affected Texas refinery production.

Increases are likely to continue. With refinery capacity already running about 22 percent down, CNN reported Wednesday afternoon that the nation’s biggest refinery, Motiva’s operation at Port Arthur, was shutting down because of flooding and that other refineries were following suit. Gasoline futures were reported to have surged about 15 percent since Friday.

On Wednesday, AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report had the national average at $2.404, while GasBuddy’s Fuel Insights survey tabbed the U.S. average at $2.423. On Monday, both surveys had been around $2.367.

That’s nowhere near the historic high that was hit in mid-July 2008, when the U.S. average was $4.114 on AAA’s survey and $4.103 on GasBuddy’s. Still, it eclipsed the highest average that GasBuddy recorded last year — $2.389 — and is closing in on the2017 high that was reached in April, $2.43.

A gallon of gas is running 6-7.6 cents higher than last week and is well above what motorists were paying last year. AAA’s survey said drivers were paying 18.6 cents less last year, while GasBuddy has that difference at 20.2 cents.

Gov. Nathan Deal announced moves Wednesday that Georgia is making to mitigate the increases, but the needle is moving higher in the Peach State, too. AAA’s state average Monday was at $2.33, while GasBuddy’s was higher at $2.359, that’s an increase of 11.9 cents in a week and 15 cents in a month, AAA says, while GasBuddy pegs the difference at 17.6 cents higher in a week and up 22 cents from last month.

Compared to last year, AAA says drivers in Georgia are spending 17.2 cents more per gallon, while GasBuddy sets that difference at 19.7 cents.

Also according to GasBuddy, the state has passed its previous high for this year — $2.287 that was reached April 13 — and is closing in on last year’s high for the year of $2.378. Georgia’s all-time high was $4.136 on Sept. 16, 2008, according to GasBuddy’s survey while AAA’s has the state record at $4.164 on Sept. 15, 2008.

Metro Albany hasn’t escaped the rise, with some stations jumping 16 cents over the day Tuesday. Stations had been selling as low as $2.089 on Monday in East Albany.

AAA had the metro Albany average Wednesday at $2.252, up 10.6 cents in a week and 15.4 cents higher than last month. Last year, metro Albany motorists were paying 20.5 cents a gallon less. Albany’s all-time high, according to AAA, was $4.309 on Sept. 15, 2008.

GasBuddy’s survey for metro Albany was close to AAA’s number at $2.249, which it says was up 14 cents since last week and 19.8 cents higher than last year. GasBuddy has the Albany high for the year at $2.281 on April 21, with the highest last year at $2.306 in late September. Albany’s all-time high on its survey was $4.223 on Sept. 17, 2008.