CAMARILLO, Calif., May 20 (UPI) -- Retail gasoline prices for U.S. consumers increased more than 11 cents per gallon for an average of $3.65, a survey of fueling stations says.
Lundberg Survey President Trilby Lundberg told Bloomberg News that gasoline prices were increasing despite a lower-than-average price for crude oil on commodities markets. Gasoline prices during the past two weeks averaged $3.65 per gallon, rising 11.2 cents during that period.
"It was driven by infrastructure problems downstream at the refinery level," she said.
Drivers in western and Midwestern states have been hit the hardest. Consumers in Minnesota paid about $4.27 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline Monday, motor group AAA reports. California drivers paid about $4.05.
AAA reports the average for Monday is about 4 cents less than the same time last year. Lundberg said prices should increase at least 4 more cents ahead of the Memorial Day holiday in the United States.
The U.S. Energy Department said it expects retail prices for the summer to level off at about $3.53 for a gallon of regular unleaded.
