COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – After prices rose almost 25 centers per gallon around Branch County earlier this week, a blogger who keeps an eye on gas prices around the country says be prepared for the highest gas prices in nearly two years. Patrick DeHaan from www.gasbuddy.com is warning prices at the pump could soon rise in Michigan to $2.99 a gallon.
Other states in the Great Lakes region will also soon feel the pinch.
DeHaan says refinery maintenance, a major pipeline outage and low gas inventories are the issues that will drive prices up quickly.
Because of Hurricane Harvey, some refiners delayed maintenance to cover production losses from the affected area.With Harvey long gone, the pushed back maintenance is now taking place along with other planned maintenance.
In addition, the 700,000 barrels per day Explorer Pipeline from the Gulf Coast had a leak last week. Those issues have led to the lowest gasoline inventories since 2015 when the BP refinery shut down in Whiting, Indiana.
Gas prices spiked by nearly a quarter Monday to between $2.65 and $2.69 at many southwest Michigan locations. Prices in Coldwater Thursday morning ranged from $2.63 to $2.69 per gallon. In Bronson, prices were at $2.55 per gallon.
DeHaan expects relief once the Explorer Pipeline is repaired. But it still take days for the gas flows to return to normal. In addition, the refinery maintenance issues are expected to linger.
