Prepare for pain at the pump. Here's why Missouri gas prices are spiking.
Missouri drivers beware: Gas prices could spike anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar over the next several days, according to popular gas price website GasBuddy.
Drivers in Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Kansas are also expected to be affected by the price jump.
This is occurring as the nation comes off already increased gas prices ahead of Labor Day, according to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Production cuts by Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ members, low U.S. inventories, and refinery maintenance in the Northeast contributed to a 22-cent-per-gallon jump in retail gasoline prices on Aug. 28.
What are prices currently like?
According to AAA, Missouri's average gas price is currently at about $3.52 as of Sept. 7, a little more than 28 cents below the national average.
In the Columbia area, the current average price per gallon for regular gasoline is at $3.54. In Jefferson City, it's at $3.58. In Springfield, a gallon of regular gasoline will set you back $3.52.
More: OPEC+ made the decision to cut global crude oil output in April. Here's what happened.
Why are prices spiking?
There isn't much concrete information, but "trade sources tell GasBuddy a refinery outage may be to blame."
"A refinery that goes down has contractual obligations to supply certain volumes of gasoline to stations. If an unexpected outage happens, the refinery that goes down suddenly may not have enough supply to meet its obligations and has to find another refinery to buy from," said Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis. "This can push prices up considerably, as a refinery could be a very large buyer."
The AAA cites OPEC+'s cuts among reasons for the increased price.
“Higher crude oil prices is largely to blame for the increase as crude oil accounts for about 60% of the overall price of gasoline,” said Nick Chabarria, AAA spokesperson.
What is winter-blend gasoline?
Another factor is the impending switch to winter gasoline.
In summer and winter, gasoline has to be reformulated to comply with federal and state air pollution control programs. Refineries' switch to producing the winter blend takes place on Sept. 16 this year.
The main difference between the formulas is vapor pressure, which is important for a vehicle to run properly. In winter, vapor pressure has to be high enough for the engine to start easily, but in the summer, lower vapor pressure is required in some areas to reduce air pollution, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
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Winter-blend gasoline tends to be a few cents cheaper, says the AAA, because it uses more butane, which is less expensive than other gasoline components.
"While a waiver from the EPA to allow the switch to winter gasoline now could happen, what we absolutely know is that without action, gasoline prices are about to spike in a significant way and motorists should be prepared for increases that could last until a waiver is issued, or the change to winter gasoline happens on Sept. 16," De Haan said. "The spike in gas prices may be relatively short-lived, but the situation remains volatile."
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri gas prices could spike 50 cents to $1 higher in next few days
