PORTLAND, Maine — The Bangor area had the cheapest average gasoline prices of Maine’s three major cities as the statewide average held steady in the past week.
The national average also held steady at just under $2 per gallon. Maine’s average of $2.07 per gallon for regular gasoline was about 28 cents lower than one year ago and 12 cents lower than a month ago, according to AAA and price tracking website GasBuddy.
Prices continued to fall throughout the year after plummeting in late 2014 as oil-producing nations in the Middle East kept up production and new extraction methods propelled North American crude oil production to new highs.
Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said prices could continue to fall in the coming weeks.
“The good news is that we could see even more price drops before the seasonal lift that will likely begin as we push towards spring,” DeHaan said.
DeHaan said the price of crude oil is likely to remain low, which is the primary cost driver for gasoline at the pump.
AAA surveys updated Monday show the lowest prices in the state are in the Bangor metro area, at about $2.04 per gallon. Lewiston-Auburn stations had an average of $2.06 per gallon and the average in the Portland area was about $2.10.