DOE Holds ’09 Diesel Forecast at $2.28 a Gallon

The Energy Department held its projection for diesel prices from a previous forecast, saying trucking’s main fuel would average $2.28 per gallon this year and $2.55 in 2010.

Last month’s forecast was just a penny lower the current monthly short-term energy outlook, which DOE released Tuesday.

Trucking’s main fuel averaged $3.79 at the pump last year, and the national average price in DOE’s weekly survey released Monday was $2.219 — a 2.7-cent decline from last week and down more than $2.54 from the record $4.764 set last July.

Regular gasoline will average $1.95 this year and $2.19 in 2010, DOE said—up from last month’s $1.87 and $2.18 forecasts, respectively.

DOE’s weekly gasoline survey released Monday put the price at $1.926 — up 3.4 cents from last week but down almost $2.20 from the $4.114 record set in July.

Having fallen from record highs about $145 last year to below $40 per barrel, crude oil — which averaged $100 a barrel in 2008 — will average $43 a barrel this and $55 in 2010, down slightly from the $43.25 $54.50 respective forecasts of last month.