PHOENIX — A pandemic, war and national labor shortage have left their marks on the gas pump.
On Tuesday, the national average price of gas rose to $4.36 a gallon, marking the highest-ever average.
Many areas in Arizona are closer to $4.50 a gallon. Just one year ago, the national average for gasoline sat at $3.06 a gallon.
Not going down anytime soon
According to AAA Arizona, drivers in the state should not plan on the price of gas going down anytime soon.
“As long as the supply remains tight, it's going to be hard for these crude oil prices to come down,” said Aldo Vasquez, with AAA Arizona. “And right now, crude oil is closing about $110 per barrel. So as long as the price of crude oil remains that high, motorists can continue to expect to see higher gas prices at the pump.”
A variety of geopolitical events all play a role in what drivers in Arizona pay at the pump. The European Union debates new sanctions against Russian oil exports, causing the price of crude oil to climb.
China, one of the world’s top oil consumers, is entering a new lockdown phase amid a new outbreak of COVID-19 in Beijing, causing oil prices to continue to rise.
“All those factors put in place are going to continue to put this pressure on the already tight supply that we're seeing,” said Vasquez. “And unfortunately, that's going to mean that we're going to be paying higher gas prices for quite some time.”
How high gas prices affect summer vacations
As Memorial Day approaches, a time when the price of gas is at its annual highest, Vasquez says he doesn’t expect to see many people changing their vacation or travel plans.
“Historically speaking, gas prices have never deterred people from traveling,” Vasquez said. “If anything, they're going to be a little bit safer around how they spend their money and probably budget the cost of gasoline into their budget.”
September 15 is the day refineries are allowed to switch their production from the more expensive summer blend of gasoline to the cheaper winter blend. That date might be the first relief in sight for drivers in Arizona.
But like anyone who studies oil production will say, no one has a crystal ball.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: ¿Bajarán alguna vez los precios de la gasolina en Arizona? Los expertos dicen que no
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.