Gas prices have risen recently and a gas price expert says expert more of that to come.
In Rhinelander, the price averages $2.64 per gallon. Not that many days ago, it was in the $2.20 range.
We asked Patrick DeHaan, Senior Petroleum Analyst with the website Gas Buddy dot com, what has happened...
"..We continue to work our way to summer and that means cleaner, more expensive summer gasoline, and refineries are in maintenance, trying to meet the demand for summer months. Both of those issues play off each other and the rising prices of oil which just hit $60 a barrel is not helping. All of that is helping push gas prices up in all 50 states...."
He thinks the trend will continue for the next several weeks. He says Middle East producers are affecting the price...
"...A large part of it is the large production cuts that OPEC has complied with more than 100 percent. Their getting help from Venezuela, of course, The dire situation there has curbed Venezuela's exports, so global production is quite a bit tighter that it's been in recent years and that's pushing oil prices up...."
DeHaan says in looking at the entire country, Wisconsin ranks third for the largest increase from 2019's low price. The Great Lakes states had an excess of lower-cost winter blend gasoline. Refiners offered bargains to use up the winter blend, and that gasoline is now gone.
