Needle not yet moving on South Carolina’s gas prices even as national costs rise

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — The average gas price is holding steady for the third week in a row for South Carolina, but the same can’t be said for national prices.

Gas prices just barely fell in the State of South Carolina, with a drop of just 0.5 cents per gallon on average.

That once again leaves the statewide average at $2.47.

Those prices are 3.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and 33.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

The lowest price in the state for a gallon of gas did climb, now up to $2.09 over the weekend, while the most expensive was $3.49, also up from last week.

In the Lowcountry, wallet-conscious motorists could find the lowest gas price at two locations in North Charleston: cheaper gasoline was available at the 8599 Rivers Avenue Murphy Express, which was selling gas for $2.29 and the 8945 University Boulevard Sunoco, which was selling gas at $2.31 a gallon

However, those paying in cash can get a gallon of gas in Walterboro for that same low North Charleston price, paying $2.29 at Enmarket 880, located at 1539 Bells Highway.

Even for those not paying in cash, though, prices aren’t much higher than those North Charleston gas stations, with locations in Goose Creek, Charleston and Summerville all selling a gallon of gas for $2.32.

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“After seven straight weeks of declines, the national average price of gasoline has moved higher, breaking the streak as oil prices have climbed back near $60 per barrel after dipping into the mid-$50s,” Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said.

“There’s still a window of opportunity to revisit—or even beat—recent gas price lows, but that window will begin to close soon. California will soon start transitioning back to cleaner summer gasoline, with most of the rest of the country following in a little over a month,” De Haan said. “However, with a surplus of winter gasoline built up after large inventory increases in recent weeks, we’re likely to see localized discounts as that fuel is cleared from the system before the seasonal rise becomes more organized in the weeks ahead.”

Like De Haan said, the national average price for a gallon of gas did tick up by 3.1 cents and sits at $2.76.

That average is down 8.6 cents per gallon from a month ago and 32.3 cents per gallon from a year ago.

The national average price of diesel decreased by 1 cent and is currently sitting at $3.465 per gallon.