Diesel to Average $3.85 Into Next Year, DOE Says
Diesel will average $3.85 a gallon this year and in 2012, the Department of Energy said, boosting a previous price forecast.
That’s a penny higher for this year than a previous estimate and 6 cents over its forecast for next year, DOE said in its monthly short-term energy outlook, released this week.
Trucking’s main fuel averaged $3.84 per gallon through November this year, according to figures from DOE’s weekly price surveys.
The most recent survey, released Monday, had diesel’s national average price at $3.931, the second straight decline and down from the $4.01 level of two weeks earlier, the first time it had topped $4 since June.
Gasoline will average $3.53 per gallon this year and $3.45 per gallon in 2012, DOE said, lowering its forecast for each by a penny from last month’s outlook.
The actual gasoline average this year was $3.54 per gallon through November, and the most recent survey pegged it at $3.29, down 14.6 cents in three straight declines.
