Gas price increases are particularly pronounced in Ohio

Ohio drivers traditionally pay less for gas than the national average. Not anymore. As of Wednesday, the average price for regular unleaded gas was $4.81 per gallon, compared to the national average of $4.54 per gallon, according to AAA Fuel Prices. Ohio now ranks among the 10 most expensive states in the country for gasoline, according to AAA. A month ago, Ohioans were paying an average of $3.75, compared to $4.12 nationwide. The Cleveland Metro Area, which includes Lorain and Medina counties, saw some of the biggest hikes in Ohio, with prices as many service stations hitting $4.99 and higher earlier this week. The surge in prices marks the first time the Buckeye State has crossed the $4 mark since the oil shock four years ago, caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Gas prices in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin are now at their highest levels since summer 2022 and are approaching new all-time records," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, stated on social media. But why is Ohio and the other Midwest states getting hit so much harder than the rest of the nation? While the price of petroleum products worldwide has risen by more than a third since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, industry analysts point to a string of refinery disruptions that have jacked Midwest gas prices even higher: A power outage at BP's massive refinery in Whiting, Ind. — one of the largest in the country — knocked production offline last week. Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery, in Illinois, shut down in mid-March for maintenance and repairs that ran through April. Marathon's Robinson Refinery, also in Illinois, started maintenance work in mid-March that is not expected to be done until mid-May. Analysts say another factor pushing prices higher in the Midwest is the seasonal transition to summer-blend gasoline, a cleaner-burning but more expensive to refine formulation required during warmer months. Refineries coming back on line should ease the situation in the Midwest, but the geopolitical pressures driving up crude show fewer signs of easing. Analysts say gas prices are expected to remain high because of the on-going U.S.–Iran war and uncertainty over the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than 20 percent of world's seaborne oil trade is shipped. "Crude oil accounts for 50% to 60% of the price of a gallon of gasoline and, as we know, oil has been trading at more than $100 a barrel, mainly because of the war in Iran and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz," AAA East Central spokesperson Lynda Lambert said.