Recent diesel surge pauses for at least one week

Two weeks after reports of an 80-cent increase, diesel prices were lower for several regions as was the national average.

It was the first price drop since April 11.

According to the latest Energy Information Administration report, the national average for a gallon of diesel is now $5.613, down from $5.623 a week ago, reflecting a 1 cent decline. The national average is $2.364 higher than it was one year ago.

The Gulf Coast and Midwest regions saw the largest prices drops at 4.4 cents and 4 cents, respectively.

However, it wasn’t good news in every region, specifically in the northeast.

New England reported a 9.2-cent jump, the Central Atlantic was up 4.2 cents, prices jumped 3.7 cents in the East Coast region, and the Lower Atlantic reported a 2.5-cent increase to its price.

Prices in the Rocky Mountain, West Coast and West Coast less California regions changed by less than 1 cent.

Average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel on May 16 as reported by the EIA:

• U.S. – $5.613, down 1 cent.
• East Coast – $5.944, up 3.7 cents.
• New England – $6.431, up 9.2 cents.
• Central Atlantic – $6.36, up 4.2 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $5.605, up 2.5 cents.
• Midwest – $5.346, down 4 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $5,295, down 4.4 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $5.468, up seven-tenths of a cent.
• West Coast – $6.075, up two-fifths of a cent.
• West Coast less California – $5.619, down nine-tenths of a cent.
• California – $6.477, up 1.6 cents.

ProMiles.com reports the average U.S. retail price per gallon for diesel increased by 5.8 cents to $5.493, according to a May 16 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.

The largest increase was by 18.4 cents in the New England region. The Central Atlantic reported a 12.6-cent jump in pricing, and the East Coast region was up by 10.7 cents.

Outside of those regions, increases were between 3.6 cents and 8.8 cents.

At $5.272 per gallon, the Gulf Coast has the lowest price this week.

Here are the average U.S. prices for a gallon of diesel reported for each region on Monday, May 16, by ProMiles.com:

• U.S. – $5.493, up 5.8 cents.
• East Coast – $5.842, up 10.7 cents.
• New England – $6.29, up 18.4 cents.
• Central Atlantic – $6.21, up 12.6 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $5.509, up 8.8 cents.
• Midwest – $5.284, up 3.6 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $5.272, up 5.7 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $5.401, up 6.1 cents.
• West Coast – $6.013, up 4.4 cents.
• West Coast without California – $5.52, up 4.4 cents.
• California – $6.417, up 4.2 cents.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported the retail average U.S. price per gallon of diesel at $5.566 for May 16.

A week previous the average retail U.S. price for a gallon of diesel was $5.54 per gallon.

A month previous, AAA reported $5.021 per gallon of diesel, and a year ago $3.169 per gallon.

The highest recorded retail average U.S. diesel price was $5.568 per gallon on May 15, 2022, according to AAA. LL

Last week’s fuel report is here.