Gas prices see slight dip, but could increase following Ida

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The national gas price average decreased by two cents on Saturday, but Hurricane Ida’s arrival brought it back up one penny, setting the tone for fuel prices ahead of Labor Day weekend.

As a precautionary measure, Colonial Pipeline shut down two main lines that run from Houston, Texas, to Greensboro, North Carolina.

The company said after a post-storm infrastructure inspection, the pipeline would be back to full service.

Gas prices nationally, especially in the southeast and east coast, will see a minimal impact if the pipeline is only down for a matter of hours, according to AAA.

“Until the power is restored, it’s too early to know the full impact of any damage Ida caused on the oil and gas industry, but drivers regionally can expect price fluctuations leading into Labor Day weekend,” said Morgan Dean, AAA spokesperson. “Typically, a category 4 storm could mean three-plus weeks before refineries are back to normal operations, while offshore production is more likely to resume this week.”

Gas prices in Louisiana have shot up since Friday, from $2.81 to $2.83. Virginia’s prices, however, decreased by 1 penny to $2.95.

	Today	Weekly change	Last year
National	$3.15	Down 1 cent	$2.23
Virginia	$2.95	Down 1 cent	$2.12
Richmond	$2.94	Down 1 cent	$2.14
Charlottesville	$2.96	Up 1 cent	$2.14
Fredericksburg	$2.97	Down 1 cent	$2.17
Norfolk	$2.92	Down 2 cents	$2.07