EIA expects summer US real gasoline and diesel prices to be the highest since 2014
20 April 2022
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that retail gasoline prices will average $3.84 per gallon this summer driving season—April through September—compared with last summer’s average price of $3.06/gal. After adjusting for inflation, this summer’s forecast national average price would mark the highest retail gasoline and diesel prices since 2014.
As outlined in EIA’s Summer Fuels Outlook, a supplement to the April 2022 Short-Term Energy Outlook, the agency expects the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will have a smaller effect on gasoline and diesel consumption in the United States during the 2022 summer season compared with the past two summers. US gasoline and diesel consumption continue to remain below their 2019 averages.
Source: US Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO)
EIA expects higher fuel prices this summer as a result of higher crude oil prices. Crude oil prices have generally risen since the start of the year partly as a result of geopolitical developments, particularly Russia’s war against Ukraine.
EIA also expects US economic activity to increase through the summer, resulting in more demand for petroleum fuels. Greater demand will contribute to higher crude oil prices. EIA expects Brent crude oil will average $106 per barrel this summer—$35/b higher than last summer.
Recently, increased volatility of crude oil prices, which account for around 60% of total retail gasoline prices, suggests the crude oil price forecast could change, depending on several factors that remain highly uncertain.
The EIA outlook takes into account all sanctions on Russia announced as of 7 April, but the range of possible outcomes for resulting oil production in Russia is wide.
Gasoline and diesel prices have already declined since their peaks in March, when the US average gasoline price surpassed $4.00/gal and the average diesel price surpassed $5.00/gal. EIA expects these prices to continue falling throughout the summer.
As US refineries increase gasoline and distillate production, EIA expects this increased production to place downward pressure on wholesale gasoline margins and retail prices gradually during the summer. As a result, EIA forecasts the average US retail gasoline price will fall to $3.75/gal in July and to $3.68/gal in September. Similarly, EIA expects the average US retail diesel price to fall to $4.44/gal in July and $4.20/gal in September.
Don't understand how drivers who can afford EVs, continue buying and driving gassers when they know the lying oil companies are jacking up their prices at every opportunity and hosing them at the pumps.
Posted by: Lad | 20 April 2022 at 02:47 PM
The oil prices and thus the diesel and petrol prices are not only driven up by speculators, the Ukraine war and oil dealers!
It is also the OEMs, media, politicians, NGOs and state authorities who literally worship the electric car (BEV + PHEV) as the only way of individual mobility for people!
Also remember that the price of electricity is increasing rapidly!
In Europe/Germany you already pay €0.5 to €0.8 per kWh.
Please calculate how expensive it is to charge a Renault Zoe BEV and how expensive to refuel (1 liter costs 2€) with a Rover 25 1.4i with 101HP - both are 5-door compact cars with a length of 4m!
Consumption:
Renault Zoe - 15kWh per 100km
Rover 25 - 6 liters of petrol per 100km
Conclusion:
Please remain realistic and cancel all subsidies for BEV and PHEV immediately from May 2022, as these subsidies are used by the manufacturers to increase prices - see Tesla's current extreme price usury for new and used vehicles!
Also calculate the new price of a BEV + PHEV and their lifespan before scrapping!
The example Rover 25 1.4i 100HP is my private car, the BJ 2000 is now 131,000km and was only €777 expensive when bought in 2021, but the Rover 25 lives forever but a BEV + PHEV does not!
So much for the BEV+ PHEV strategy and ecology for everyone!
Posted by: Herman | 21 April 2022 at 03:24 AM