Virginia gas prices up 19 cents per gallon in a week

The average price of gas in Virginia is $3.23 per gallon, which is up 19 cents from last week but down two cents from this time last year.

Virginia is one of the 10 states in the country that have seen the largest weekly increases in gas prices. Ohio has seen the largest increase (30 cents), followed by New Mexico at +25 cents, West Virginia at +25 cents, Colorado at +20 cents, Virginia, Maryland Pennsylvania and Illinois at +19 cents, North Carolina at +18 cents, and Montana at +17 cents.

The rise in gas prices is being driven by a number of factors, including supply disruptions caused by the BP-Whiting refinery shutdown in Indiana that resulted from a power outage. The refinery processes 435,000 barrels of crude oil per day, and the shutdown has caused prices throughout the Midwest to climb.

Lower gas demand typically would lead to decreases in prices, but the refinery shutdown has created a tight supply situation.

“Pump prices usually move higher this time of year, but a 12 cent jump at the national level in one week is notable,” said Morgan Dean, a spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “However, the refinery shutdown will likely be resolved soon, so further increases at the pump should revert to slower and lower seasonal gains.”