Michigan gas prices are on the rise again, hitting $3.47 a gallon, and could go higher
Michigan gas prices continued to climb Monday, up 10 cents from a week ago to an average of $3.47 a gallon.
"Rising gas demand and elevated oil prices have contributed to higher prices at the pump," Adrienne Woodland, a spokeswoman for AAA, said, adding that if demand remains high, "drivers will likely see pump prices increase through the week."
The price is 37 cents more than this time last month and25 cents more than this time last year, according to the auto club, leaving motorists to pay about $52 for a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline.
Metro Detroit’s average was even higher, $3.50 per gallon, and the national average was $3.51 a gallon.
In addition to metro Detroit, the most expensive gas price averages elsewhere in Michigan were: Ann Arbor, $3.48 and Lansing, $3.45. and the least expensive were: Benton Harbor, $3.35; Traverse City, $3.37 and Grand Rapids, $3.41.
More:Pontiac mourns loss of mother, children who froze to death
More:Barrett Strong, Motown trailblazer with 'Money,' the Temptations and more, dies at 81
Demand for gas nationally rose slightly from 8.05 million to 8.14 million barrels a day, according to the Energy Information Administration. Winter storms at the end of 2022 contributed to tighter supply, but the milder winter this month may have led to more drivers getting behind the wheel, pushing pump prices higher.
Crude prices rose slightly last week due to a falling dollar, with West Texas Intermediate increasing by two cents to settle at $80.15 a barrel last Wednesday, and there has been market speculation that global oil demand will be more robust than anticipated in 2023 due to China reopening its economy after COVID-19 lockdowns.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gas prices up, expected to climb as global demand for oil increases
