Diesel to Average $2.26 This Year, DOE Says
The Energy Department said diesel fuel will average $2.26 a gallon this year, down 4 cents from a previous forecast and well below the $3.80 average of last year.
Trucking’s main fuel will rise to an average $2.48 per gallon next year, down 21 cents from last month’s prediction, DOE said in its monthly short-term energy outlook released Tuesday.
Regular gasoline will average $2.12 this year, also down 4 cents from last month’s outlook and well below the $3.26 average of last year. Gas will climb to $2.30 next year, 12 cents below its previous forecast, DOE said.
Diesel averaged $2.216 in DOE’s most recent weekly survey released Monday, not far off the April 13 four-month high of $2.229 per gallon, while gasoline’s average topped diesel for the first time in almost two years, jumping 16.2 cents to $2.24. (Click here for previous story.)
Crude oil will average about $52 a barrel this year, down $1 from the previous forecast, and $58 next year, down $5 from last month’s outlook.
Oil averaged $99.57 in 2008 and set a New York Mercantile Exchange closing-price record of $145.29 per barrel last July.
