NEW YORK, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Oil prices in New York rose above $87 per barrel Monday after Hurricane Irene came and went, battering the East Coast but leaving most structures intact.
Concerns among traders included the possible shutdown of oil refineries and the cessation of driving during the storm, which would affect gasoline sales.
By various degrees, drivers kept their cars parked but no major damage was reported at refineries or storage facilities.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil for October added $2.84 to reach $87.68. Home heating oil prices gained 1.01 cents to $3.0274 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline prices gained 0.45 cents to $2.774 per gallon.
Henry Hub natural gas prices for October rose 0.6 cents to hit $3.836 per million British thermal units.
At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline rose to $3.611 per gallon from Sunday's $3.609, AAA said.
