Tropical storm, Iraq, heat causing $3 gas

Gas prices in Lawrence made a sudden jump past the $3 mark Friday.

Blame it on increased violence in Iraq, a tropical storm moving into the Gulf of Mexico and high temperatures across most of the nation, according to AAA.

“It’s going up all over,” said Kim Mathewson, spokeswoman for AAA Kansas.

By Friday afternoon there were reports of $3.06 per gallon in Hutchinson. Dodge City had gas at $3.05 earlier in the week, Mathewson said. At least one Lawrence station had a price of $3.09 per gallon.

The average price nationally topped $3 on Tuesday for the first time since Sept. 9.

“Overall, the environment for oil and gas prices is not a good one,” Mathewson said.

The violence in Iraq, especially in Baghdad, is a concern because it causes disruption in oil production in that country, Mathewson said. The development of Tropical Storm Chris is a worry because no one knows what it might do if it moves into the Gulf, she said.

The nationwide triple-digit temperatures can cause problems with oil refineries and cause shutdowns, Mathewson said.

“Excessive heat also tends to increase demand for fuel oil used by the utilities,” she said.

Before Friday, the average price of gas in Lawrence was $2.97, according to AAA’s fuel gauge report. A year ago it was $2.24.

“We don’t know how high it is going to go, but we’re not expecting it to go down anytime soon,” Mathewson said.