Indiana gas prices have reached the list of the top 10 most expensive in the country. According to the AAA Hoosier Motor Club, Indiana is now has the eighth highest state average.
GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says the higher gas prices stem from multiple refinery problems seen around the Midwest over the past few weeks. “Marathon’s refinery in Detroit has had several issues that have affected gasoline production,” he says. “That plant is hardly producing any gasoline. It typically produces much of the gasoline for Southwest Michigan and Northwest Indiana. So too, at the same time, several major refineries in Toledo and just south of Toledo have been undergoing both maintenance and some have experienced unexpected outages.” That’s led to a shortage of refining capacity at a time when demand for gasoline is at a high during the summer travel season.
He adds that while it’s difficult to predict whether prices have reached their summer peak yet, it’s quite possible, “At least for the time-being, gas prices have peaked, and in the very short-term, across the state of Indiana, gas prices could drop five to fifteen cents a gallon over the next week or two, so long as there are no surprise refinery kinks.”
He says that while prices won’t be dropping to the levels seen over the winter months anytime soon, drivers should expect to see lower prices the rest of the summer, once the refinery issues are resolved.
