LA Auto Club: Ivan Not Terrible for Local Gas Prices

LOS ANGELES--Sept. 17, 2004--Despite fluctuating crude oil and wholesale gasoline prices caused by Hurricane Ivan, retail gas prices in Southern California continued their slow downward slide last week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.071 a gallon, which is 2.1 cents lower than last week, one cent lower than last month and two cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.110, which is 1.8 cents below last week, and the same as the average price last month and last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.255, which is down two cents from last week, two cents below last month and eight cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.106, which is down 3.8 cents from last week, unchanged from last month and two cents higher than last year.

"The full effects of Hurricane Ivan on refining and transportation of petroleum products from the Gulf Coast still aren't known so there could be a temporary up-tick in local gas prices," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Barring any other interruptions in supply, we expect lower pump prices over the long term."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Sept. 17.

Area                             Regular Change from  Record Price
                                         last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach           $2.071 -2.1 cents  $2.368 (5/28/2004)

Orange County                    $2.071 -1.8 cents  $2.353 (6/01/2004)

San Diego                        $2.110 -1.8 cents  $2.373 (5/26/2004)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $2.255 -2.0 cents  $2.489 (5/29/2004)

Riverside-San Bernardino         $2.100 -2.1 cents  $2.399 (6/01/2004)

Bakersfield                      $2.106 -3.8 cents  $2.383 (6/01/2004)

Las Vegas                        $2.028 -2.9 cents  $2.279 (5/26/2004)