Fuel Tracker

Hurricane Katrina was the worst of all possible situations for gasoline consumers: a severe storm sending a shock wave through the supply chain at the peak of gas prices and demand. Oil production platforms, import terminals, pipelines and refineries were all affected by the storm. The path product prices take over the next days and weeks will depend largely on how quickly refineries can return to normal operations, say officials with the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Below is a price trend for retail gasoline per gallon and spot crude oil at West Texas Intermediate since April and a price snapshot in Springfield.

Crude oil cost $68.94 as of Aug. 31, up $3.43 from Aug. 19. Local gasoline prices were $3.00 as of Aug. 31, up 58 cents from Aug. 25. The U.S. average for gasoline was $2.68 as of Aug. 31, up 7 cents from Aug. 22.

Sources: AAA and the New York Mercantile Exchange