DOE Boosts Diesel Forecast 6¢ to $3.91
Diesel fuel will average $3.91 per gallon this year, the Department of Energy said, boosting its most recent estimate by 6 cents.
Trucking’s main fuel averaged $3.84 last year, DOE said in its monthly short-term energy outlook released Tuesday.
Diesel will average $3.99 next year, also 6 cents higher than last months’ outlook, the report said.
In its most recent weekly survey released Monday, DOE reported diesel’s national average price rose 0.6 cent to $3.856 a gallon, the fourth gain in five weeks.
Gasoline will average $3.55 per gallon this year — a 7-cent boost over last month’s report and 2 cents over last year’s average.
Gas will be about 7 cents higher in the peak driving season April through September, and will average $3.59 next year, a 4-cent boost from last month’s outlook.
Gasoline’s most recent price was $3.482 per gallon, and the motor fuel has risen 26 cents in six increases in the past seven weeks.
DOE held its oil-price forecast at about $100 per barrel this year, which is almost $6 over 2011.
For 2013, it expects oil to rise modestly, to about $106 per barrel, assuming a gross domestic product growth rate of 2% this year and 2.4% next year.
