Clayton News Daily

The average cost of regular unleaded gasoline in Georgia is currently at $3.51 per gallon, according to AAA Auto Club South.

Spokeswoman Jessica Brady said this is a decrease, compared to the state's average gasoline price last week of $3.58 per gallon.

The current national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $3.63, a fall from last week's average price of $3.66, according to Brady.

"Retail gas prices fell slightly last week even though we saw a slight increase in oil prices," said Brady. "It's very likely gas prices could decrease further this week."

The price of crude oil stayed at $87.24 per barrel on Sept. 9 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, which was 79 cents more than the week prior, she said. "Oil prices are leaning towards the technical price of $90 a barrel," said Brady. "If we see oil hit $90 a barrel, we are likely to see it reach $100."

She said most likely oil prices will continue to settle below $90 a barrel, due to ongoing news of a slothful economy in the U.S. and abroad.

Brady said retail gas prices also fell last week, though oil prices also rose. During the first week of September, oil prices experienced an increase after U.S. inventories of crude oil fell almost 4 million barrels.

"The decrease was approximately two times more than [forecast] as output in the Gulf of Mexico was cut in half, after Tropical Storm Lee threatened refineries," she explained.