Diesel prices down for third straight week

The Energy Information Administration’s report showed a drop in the national average from $3.356 last week to $3.324.

In addition, every region reported a drop in pricing, by at least 1 cent, according to the Aug. 23 report.

The largest decrease was 4.3 cents in the Midwest, while prices in the West Coast less California region fell by 3.9 cents. A more than 3-cent drop was also reported in California, the Gulf Coast and West Coast regions.

The national average price is 89.8 cents higher than one year ago.

Average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel on Aug. 23 as reported by the EIA:

• U.S. – $3.324, down 3.2 cent.
• East Coast – $3.297, down 1.9 cents.
• New England – $3.26, down 1.1 cents.
• Central Atlantic – $3.473, down 1.2 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $3.186, down 2.6 cents.
• Midwest – $3.216, down 4.3 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $3.038, down 3.5 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $3.639, down 1.8 cents.
• West Coast – $3.992, down 3.7 cents.
• West Coast without California – $3.643, down 3.9 cents.
• California – $4.284, down 3.5 cents.

ProMiles.com reports the average U.S. retail price per gallon for diesel decreased by 1.5 cents to $3.277, according to an Aug. 23 report.

A key difference between the EIA and ProMiles reporting is the type and number of fueling stations the company surveys in order to calculate its averages. While EIA surveys 400 truck stops and convenience stores nationwide, ProMiles uses its direct feed from thousands of truck stops to develop its averages.

Lower prices were reported in eight regions, including a drop of nearly 2 cents in the Rocky Mountain, Midwest and Lower Atlantic regions.

The West Coast region saw an increase of one-tenth of a cent, while California reported no change in the average price per gallon from last week.

Here are the average U.S. prices for a gallon of diesel reported for each region by ProMiles.com:

• U.S. – $3.277, down 1.5 cents.
• East Coast – $3.271, down 1.3 cents.
• New England – $3.248, down one-fifth of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.43, down nine-tenths of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $3.163, down 1.7 cents.
• Midwest – $3.207, down 1.8 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $3.046, down 1.4 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $3.696, down 1.9 cents.
• West Coast – $3.856, up one-tenth of a cent.
• West Coast without California – $3.592, down one-tenth of a cent.
• California – $4.261, no change.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported the retail average U.S. price per gallon of diesel at $3.285 for Aug. 23.

A week previous the average retail U.S. price for a gallon of diesel was $3.297 per gallon.

A month previous, AAA reported $3.27 per gallon of diesel, and a year ago $2.422 per gallon.

The highest recorded retail average U.S. diesel price was $4.845 per gallon on July 17, 2008, according to AAA. LL

Last week’s fuel report is here.