GasBuddy: Average gas prices rise ever so slightly across Colorado, locally

Average gasoline prices in Colorado have risen by nearly 3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging about $3.68/g today, according to Gasbuddy’s survey of 2,158 stations in Colorado. Prices in Colorado are 26.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 11.2 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 3.8 cents in the last week and stands at $4.48 per gallon.

In the Aspen area, regular gas was listed at $5.39 at the Main Street station, $5 ABC, $5.29 in Snowmass Village, $4.44 at Woody Creek, and $4.29 at the Highway 82 turnoff to Old Snowmass, according to AutoBlog.com

“As air temperatures trend downward as we progress into fall, gasoline prices have seen another week of their own seasonal fall. The national average is on the cusp of falling to the lowest level since March, something that could happen this week,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Demand for gasoline continues to weaken as we get closer to seeing the first snow flurries fly across some areas of the country, and against the backdrop of winter, there isn’t as much desire to get out.”

Haan also said coupled with cheaper winter gasoline and refinery issues that have faded to the rearview thanks to the drop in demand, gasoline prices have been weakening even as oil prices have climbed, putting pressure on refineries as margins flatten and gasoline becomes the unwanted byproduct of producing other products like diesel and jet fuel, which command a higher price than gasoline. 

“However, there’s only so much refineries can do, because they must produce gasoline at high quantity to get those premium barrels,” he said. “For now, that trend will likely mean further declines in the weeks ahead, before prices bottom out between Thanksgiving and Christmas.”