Gas Prices Expected To Decrease This Week

Gas Prices Expected To Decrease This Week

TAMPA - It will take a while before the refineries along the Gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana are operating at full strength, but retail gasoline prices could still tick downward this week.

As of Sunday, four refineries were still shut down because of no power, five were in the process of restarting and nine more are operating at a reduced output, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Furthermore, the Colonial Pipeline, the nation's largest pipeline that delivers gasoline to the Southeast, is running at low capacity, according to a media statement released by AAA Auto Club South. Nonetheless, the price of crude oil has dropped and demand appears to be on the decline.

The average prince in Florida for a gallon of regular gas is nearly $3.72 - more than 6 cents higher than the national average. State gas prices have fallen by nearly 9 cents since last week, according to AAA Auto Club South.