Diesel Prices Hold Steady As We Prepare To Wrap Up 2017

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2017 and welcome in a new year, fuel prices are surprisingly unchanged. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of diesel dropped slightly in the past week, at $2.83, while the Oregon average decreased two cents to $2.99 and Washington average fell two cents to $3.15. Those figures are up considerably from this time last year, where the national average was $2.45 a gallon, and Oregon’s was $2.57 a gallon, with Washington’s rate coming in at $2.73.

Much of that increase is thanks to production decreases from OPEC nations over the past year. But, fuel prices could have dropped much more, was it not for the ramped up fuel production from North America. Marie Dodds with AAA told the Washington Ag Network over recent years, not only has the U.S. and Canada increase in the amount of oil produced, both countries have gotten into the export business.

“We have become much more insulated to some of these global events that in the past would have sent crude oil prices and also gas prices and diesel prices skyrocketing.”

Dodds added typically this time of year, weather on the East Coast can have a big, negative impact on what we pay for diesel. But at this point, we have not see that negative impact.

“A couple of big snowstorms, that’s not going to have a huge impact over the long-term but they can send prices up in the short-term for diesel.”

As far as the lowest prices across the Inland Northwest are concerned: