Motorists' Relief May Be Temporary

Enjoy the slightly lower gas prices while you can. They may not last.

In the past few weeks, gasoline prices have dropped about 3 cents a gallon statewide. The average price of a gallon of regular, self-service gas is about $1.27, based on an informal survey of some stations in Southern Pines and Aberdeen.

Local motorists say the drop has provided some relief.

“Not much, though,” said Brian Barrett, a Southern Pines resident who commutes to Fayetteville every day. “Gas is more expensive (in Fayetteville) than it is in the Sandhills. So when I have to buy gas there, I wind up paying even more.”

The drop may only be temporary. Prices are expected to rise again once the summer travel season gets in gear around Memorial Day weekend, said Kristy Tolley, a spokesman for AAA of the Carolinas in Charlotte.

“Typically, when you have increased travel demands, gas prices go up accordingly,” Tolley said.

Even if prices go back up this summer, they should not be anywhere near $2 a gallon that some analysts predicted in early March after OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) constricted crude oil production to stave off a glut that had driven prices down.

“It’s kind of like a horse race,” Tolley said. “You have so many factors that go into it.”

Earlier this year, the decreased production combined with a cold winter pushed gas prices higher.

Statewide, the average price of a gallon of regular, self-serve unleaded gas was $1.47 on March 10, according to a survey by AAA. On April 14, the statewide average was $1.44 per gallon.

The reduction stems from a March 22 meeting during which OPEC decided to increase production to alleviate a potential shortage of oil.

If OPEC does approve yet another increase in oil production in June, it may not be enough to keep gas prices from increasing around Memorial Day weekend.

“When they do increase the output, it does take a while for it to affect gas prices at the pumps,” Tolley said. “Even in the past when we’ve had increases in production before the summer driving season, gas prices have still gone up at the pumps.”

Robert Morrison of Jackson Springs told The Pilot that he has noticed a decrease in gas prices at some stores. He said every little bit helps.

Higher gas prices will likely have little effect on most people’s summer vacation plans, Tolley said.

“We don’t expect people to cancel their summer vacations,” she said. “We may see people changing their spending habits — not going out to eat as much, or spending less on souvenirs.”

Barrett said gas prices wouldn’t cause him to cancel his vacation.