GAS SURVEY: Gas prices hit plateau for now

www.thetandd.com By The T&D Staff

The three-week streak of seeing gasoline prices spike upwards has ended. Prices throughout The Times and Democrat Region stabilized this past week. In Wednesday's survey of selected stations throughout The T&D Region, the least-expensive gasoline found sold for $1.459 at the Shell E-Z Shop at U.S. 21 and Highway 22, near Interstate 26 exit 139. At Santee, gasoline sold for $1.479 a gallon for regular unleaded at the Horizon E-Z Shop on Highway 6. In Orangeburg, the least-expensive sold at five area stations for $1.519. See survey for stations.

Fogle's Piggly Wiggly in Neeses also sold for $1.519. The most expensive gasoline of stations surveyed sold in Bamberg and Branchville for $1.579. Stability at the pumps follows a two-week period which saw gas prices rise 7 cents per gallon pushing pump prices to near record levels. The average price for gas nationwide, including all grades, was approximately $1.70 early this week, according to the Lundberg Survey of 8,000 stations. The price was within 7 cents of $1.77, the all-time high recorded by the survey in May 2001. Gasoline cost about $1.63 a gallon on Feb. 7, the date the last survey was taken, an increase of 11 cents over the previous two-week survey. However, like local numbers, Trilby Lundberg sees some light at the end of the tunnel. "The pace of gas prices has already slowed," Lundberg said. "The other indicators show a possible decrease in prices." Increased production in Venezuela, the approach of warmer weather and the reopening of various U.S. refineries which had been idled for annual maintenance are expected to slow or end the price spiral, Lundberg said. Crude oil prices are also up due to fears of war with Iraq, but if the U.S. goes to war, or if the crisis is resolved, experts say that oil bubble will burst. Prices rose 30 cents a gallon in 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait and then dropped 30 cents in 1991 following the Persian Gulf War. As The T&D continues its weekly gas survey, we encourage readers to get involved. If you know of a gasoline price consistently lower than those in our survey, let us know by e-mail at news@timesanddemocrat.com, by fax at 803-533-5595 or by phone at 803-534-1060. The prices must be consistently low for inclusion in the survey. Here are some of the prices found Wednesday morning, Feb. 26: Orangeburg -- Li'l Cricket at U.S. 301 and Highway 70: regular unleaded, $1.519. -- Henry's on U.S. 301: regular unleaded, $1.519. -- Dodges Store at U.S. 301 and Cannon Bridge Road: regular unleaded, $1.519. -- Horizon E-Z Shop, Shillings Bridge Road: regular unleaded, $1.519. -- Horizon E-Z Shop, Old St. Matthews Road: regular unleaded, $1.519. -- Hot Spot on Calhoun Drive: regular unleaded, $1.529. -- Speedway, Boulevard Street and Carolina Avenue: regular unleaded, $1.539. -- Gazbah Exxon, Chestnut and Ellis: regular unleaded, $1.539. -- Short Stop, Magnolia and U.S. 178: regular unleaded, $1.539. -- Big D's Shell, Magnolia Street and U.S. 178: regular unleaded, $1.539. Neeses -- Fogle's Piggly Wiggly, Highway 4 and U.S. 321: regular unleaded, $1.519. Bamberg -- 3-Way Food Mart, Main Highway: regular unleaded, $1.579. -- Horizon E-Z Shop West, U.S. 78 West: regular unleaded, $1.579. -- Horizon E-Z Shop on U.S. 301 South: regular unleaded, $1.579. Branchville -- Horizon E-Z Shop, Freedom Road: regular unleaded, $1.579. Holly Hill -- Amoco Food Mart, Old State Road: regular unleaded, $1.499. Santee -- Horizon E-Z Shop, Highway 6: regular unleaded, $1.479. St. George -- Fast Point Food Store, on Highway 78 and Sears Street: regular unleaded, $1.529. St. Matthews -- Amoco, Highway 6: regular unleaded, $1.529.