MO gas average continues decline

Missouri gas prices fell 7.9 cents during the past week to average $3.57 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy.com's survey of 3,940 filling stations in the state.

By comparison, the U.S. average dropped 1.5 cents during the week to $3.64 per gallon, according to a news release.

The June 2 Missouri average was 17 cents higher than a month ago and 26.7 cents higher than a year ago. The national average increased 13.1 cents during the past month and 3.1 cents during the past year.

"While the national average has given up some ground to start the driving season, motorists have certainly seen a lot of ups and downs in different areas of the country," GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan said in the release. "One thing remains the same throughout the United States, and that is we're still reliant on oil refineries to process crude oil into gasoline.

"When they go partially offline - whether expected or unexpected - there's going to be tightness in gasoline supply, and that has an almost immediate impact at the gas pump."

Missouri's average, which was unchanged this morning at $3.57 per gallon, ranked the state 23rd on GasBuddy's list of the lowest averages in the nation. At $3.18 per gallon, South Carolina was No. 1, while Hawaii rounded out the list at $4.24 per gallon.

As of 9:34 a.m., the lowest price for gas in Missouri was available for $3.18 per gallon at a station in Kennett, located in the Bootheel. At $3.89 per gallon, the highest price was a station in Waynesville, near Fort Leonard Wood, according to MissouriGasPrices.com.

The lowest price in Springfield this morning was at the 1402 E. Republic Road Conoco station for $3.64 per gallon. Both Sam's Club stores were selling gas at $3.65 per gallon, while several other stations ranged from $3.66 to $3.69.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $91.61 per barrel as of 9:38 a.m. Light sweet crude oil futures for July were trading at $93.05 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.