Nebraska Gasoline and Diesel Prices

Motor Gasoline

States located through the center of the nation have been issuing waivers of ASTM Standards in order to allow greater flexibility and security in the region's supply of gasoline. Nebraska waived ASTM Standard D4814-89 on September 25. The waiver allows the immediate use of 13.5 psi Reid Vapor Pressure gasoline. Nebraska's waiver follows similar actions by Missouri and Kansas. South Dakota has since also waived the ASTM Standard.

For the week of September 29, Nebraska's average gasoline price had fallen 12 cents from last week to $3.46, which was 61 cents higher than the price at this time last year. Weekly averages in the surveyed cities ranged from $3.32 in Omaha to $3.55 in Kearney. As of September 26, the Midwest gasoline stock level was below the normal range with 47.5 million barrels.

Diesel Fuel

The average price of diesel fuel in the state had increased three cents to $3.99. According to the weekly price report, this week's state average was 84 cents higher than the price at this time last year. Weekly averages in the surveyed cities ranged from $3.95 in North Platte to $4.01 in Kearney. On the supply side, the Midwest distillate fuel inventory level was in the lower half of the normal range with 21.3 million barrels of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and 4 million barrels of low sulfur diesel fuel as of September 26.

Notes

Regular unleaded gasoline is regular unleaded motor gasoline with an 87 to 88 octane. Diesel fuel is fuel used for internal combustion in diesel engines. Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel has sulfur levels of 15 ppm and less while low sulfur diesel fuel ranges from more-than-15 ppm to 500 ppm sulfur.

An archive of this report, average gasoline prices for each month, average diesel prices for each month, and historical weekly prices are available for diesel and three grades of motor gasoline.

A general rule of thumb:  A dollar increase in the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price per barrel will result in a 2.5-cent increase in the gasoline price per gallon and the diesel fuel price per gallon.  Likewise, a dollar decrease in the WTI crude oil price per barrel will result in a 2.5-cent decrease in the gasoline price per gallon and the diesel fuel price per gallon.

Source: Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE.

This report was updated on October 3, 2008.
Typically, there is one week between updates.