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- Utah's gas prices rose to $4.18 per gallon on Thursday, up 20 cents in a week.
- The increase is due to rising crude oil prices amid U.S.-Iran tensions, AAA says.
- AAA warns prices may rise further as Middle East instability continues.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's reprieve at the gas pumps hit a snag as tensions between the U.S. and Iran flare up again.
Utah's average price for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped to approximately $4.18 on Thursday, up nearly 20 cents from a week ago and over cents 30 cents from the Fourth of July weekend, according to AAA's fuel price index. It's now nearly a dime above the national average, which has also gained 15 cents over the past week.
The sudden surge is the result of rising crude oil prices tied to instability returning in the Middle East, said Aldo Vazquez, a spokesperson for AAA Mountain West Group. He warned that prices could continue to rise, given the uncertainty over how long the conflict will last.
"Volatility along the Strait of Hormuz and instability in the region have pushed oil prices into the $90 per barrel range and could continue driving up costs during the second half of the summer," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Utah gas price index
These were the Utah counties with the lowest prices and the highest prices for a regular gallon of gasoline, as of Thursday, per AAA.
Where gas is the cheapest in Utah
- Carbon County: $4.13
- Sanpete County: $4.14
- Weber County: $4.15
- Davis County: $4.15
- Salt Lake County: $4.15
Where gas is the most expensive in Utah
- Beaver County: $4.43
- Rich County: $4.41
- Piute County: $4.37
- Daggett County: $4.36
- Wayne County: $4.34
- San Juan County: $4.34
Utah's average gas price had jumped to as high as approximately $4.70 per gallon in May before sliding down in June and early July. AAA and other experts attributed the spike and fall to the Iran War, which included a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route in the global crude oil supply chain.
Oil and gas prices skyrocketed when Iran blocked the waterway after U.S.-led attacks earlier this year. They plummeted when both sides reached a temporary agreement to reopen it.
Iran closed the strait again on July 12, claiming that it would remain closed until "the end of U.S. interference in this region," the Associated Press reported.
The outlet noted on Thursday that Persian Gulf countries are planning to spend billions on pipelines that can help bypass the strait, but those could take years to complete. At the same time, it noted that two Saudi oil tanks were attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, highlighting the vulnerabilities with alternatives.
Brent crude oil prices closed at over $100 per barrel after the Red Sea attack on Thursday, per NBC News, signaling that Utah gas prices could continue to rise for the foreseeable future.
