It’s a little later than expected, but Maine has seen a dip in gas prices.
GasBuddy Analyst Patrick DeHaan says there’s usually a downturn in U.S. gas prices in mid to late September. This year they didn’t peak until early October.
“The big tale here is the price of oil, which started November at $76 a barrel, has dropped to $63 a barrel. The big drop in the price of oil has opened the door up for those cheaper gas prices to return,” he says.
DeHaan says prices will likely continue to drop. He says oil prices continue to be challenged with the possibility that Russia and Saudi Arabia might increase oil production to offset the possible effect of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
The statewide average price of regular unleaded in Maine is $2.73 a gallon. That’s almost a nickel less than last week and 14 cents a gallon less than a month ago.