Average gas prices in Minnesota have increased by more than 20 cents over the last month, according to AAA data.
A gallon of gas currently costs an average of $3.53, up six cents from Wednesday and 13 cents from a week ago. Prices have climbed by 22 cents over the past month.
Pump prices are still more than a dollar lower than the record of $4.75 per gallon set last June. The average price this time last year was $3.82.
AAA said the national average for a gallon of gas has increased by nine cents over the last week to reach $3.64, largely because of the high cost of oil. The national average has increased every day since March 29.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced earlier this month that it will soon be cutting production by more than a million barrels per day. AAA said crude prices “immediately surged” following the announcement.
“When the cost of crude oil crosses the $80 a barrel mark, that puts a lot of upward pressure on what we pay at the pump, and as long as oil costs remain at the current level, drivers will likely see incremental price increases for now,” said Andrew Gross, a AAA spokesperson.
