Dylan Johnson|The Daily American
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The national average price for a gallon of gas broke the all-time record on Tuesday, hitting $4.17, according to AAA. And gas prices are expected to only rise.
Prices rose by more than 50 cents since last week across Somerset County. On Tuesday, Turkey Hill in Somerset hit $4.39, Sunoco hit $4.19 and Sheetz hit $4.29.
Highest price ever: Gas prices are now the most expensive in US history, breaking record from 2008
On the Daily American's Facebook page, commenters voiced their frustrations under an article citing experts who predict that thenational average price of gas will reach $4.25 by May — just 8 cents higher than Tuesday's average.
Many expect the priceto be much higher by then.
"By May? Hell it’ll be there probably by tonight,"Mike Prebehalla said.
Several local residents posted photos of their nearbygas stations. Cindy Reckner Bittinger said she thinks the average will be above $5 by May and before Memorial Day.
Thomas Forney said thatit's been $4.49 per gallon at Fuel 30 in Jennerstown since Sunday.
Amanda Robinette said that she has cut back on spending to afford the higher gas cost.
"Cut down on unnecessary trips. Try to budgetbuy more off brand items instead of name brand," she wrote.
Erin Sines Byer added that she feels it will be catastrophicif the price reaches $7.
"(Some) people won’t even be able to afford gas to get to their job," she said.
Others, like Sue Imhoff, said that Americans should be less concerned about their wallets and more concerned about the civilians being killed in escalating war efforts overseas.
"Meanwhile, in Ukraine innocent people are dying in the streets and we're complaining about gas prices," she said. "Yes, I know gas prices are a concern for people. All I'm saying is we need to keep it in perspective."
Why are prices going up?: Why are gas prices rising so quickly? And how high are they expected to get?
Why are gas prices going up?
There are a few factors contributing to the increase, but the main reason is the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy,told USA Todaylast weekthe sanctions put on Russia by the U.S. and European Union severely impacted Russia's ability to sell crude oil, one of the biggest determiners for gas prices. Since the country is one of the biggest energy suppliers, crude oil prices have dramatically risen.
The cost for a barrel of crude oil had ups and downs on Monday. Abarrel of U.S. crude oil settled at $119.40 per barrel, up 3.2%, after earlier touching $130.50. Brent crude, the international standard, settled at $123.21 per barrel, up 4.3%, after earlier topping $139,the Associated Press reported.
How to save money: 'Be prepared for months of these high prices': How to save money as gas prices smash records
How long will gas prices be high?
Gasbuddy projects the worstis yet to come for when looking at average prices.
Gasbuddy's2022 gasoline forecastpredicts the national average cost of a gallon of gas will peak in May at $4.25. Even as prices begin to decline after May, the average is expected to remain over $4 until November. The average for 2022 is expected to be $3.99.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that Americawill ban all imports of Russian oil, natural gas and coal.
"Russian oil will no longer be accepted at U.S. ports," the president said in remarks Tuesday at the White House. "We will not be part of subsidizing Putin's war."
Though Russia doesn't export much oil to the U.S., the ban is expected to drive up prices that have alreadysoared at the gas pump.
"In the short term, you're going to see prices definitely go up," energy expert Gianna Bern said. "How much, it remains to be seen, and where and how the void gets filled."
ButBern —a finance professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and author of “Investing in Energy" — called the ban "the biggest opportunity to make a dent in" Russia's coffers.
"The oil and gas imports that have been coming into the United States needed to be addressed," she said.
The Biden administration has also released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease prices, and has also been talking with large oil producers and suppliers around the world about how to mitigate the impact.
In 2021, theU.S. imported about 700,000 barrels per dayof crude oil and petroleum from Russia, according to the White House. The Europeans imported about 4.5 million barrels per day of oil.
More: Biden announces ban on all Russian energy imports over Ukraine invasion; experts expect gas price spike
Where is gas the most and least expensive?
Gas remains the most expensive in California, with the average cost at $5.44, the only state with an average above $5.
Stations across the state are seeing prices above $6, including a Shell gas station in Los Angeles, which had regular gas costing$6.99 per gallon.
A few select gas stations in rich neighborhoods in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills often circulate over social media because of their extremely high prices, but many are quick to point out that people who buy gas there don't care how much they spend, and there are much cheaper stations nearby.
The states with the cheapest cost of gas are Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Each state's average price is under $3.80.
Follow Dylan Johnson on Twitter at @DADylanJohnson and on Facebook at facebook.com/DylanJohnsonDailyAmerican.
