DOE Holds 2012 Diesel Forecast at $3.85
Diesel will average $3.85 a gallon this year and rise to $3.93 next year, the Department of Energy said in its monthly short-term energy outlook.
The 2012 forecast matches last month’s outlook, and the projection for next year was DOE’s first for 2013.
Trucking’s main fuel averaged $3.84 last year, and in its most recent weekly survey released Monday, DOE said diesel rose 4.5 cents to a national average of $3.828, its first gain in seven weeks.
Gasoline will average $3.48 per gallon this year — 4 cents below last year — and rise to $3.55 in 2013, the report said.
This week’s price survey had gasoline rising 8.3 cents to $3.382 per gallon and the price has gained more than 15 cents in three weeks of gains following higher oil prices.
Oil will average about $100 per barrel this year, up $5 from 2011. Benchmark U.S. crude will rise to $106 by the end of next year, assuming U.S. real gross domestic growth of 1.8% this year and 2.5% in 2013, the outlook said.
