Residents describe how the rising gas prices are impacting their day-to-day lives

TULSA, Okla. — Gas prices across the country are the highest they’ve been since 2014.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price in Oklahoma is $2.95. That’s a lot different compared to this time a year ago, when the average price was $1.88.

The prices are so painful, Royce Ellington told Fox23 he was helping his grandson pay for gas. He says, “I should have him slow down on driving, rather than keep driving, but you still have to do life. That’s the problem. Life just costs more now.”

Another driver at QuikTrip told Fox23, “It’s hard on people who are working hard and trying to make money.”

The Director of the School of Energy at the University of Tulsa , Tom Seng, says this is a supply and demand problem.

Seng explained, “The demand has been extremely high for a while now, and the production of energy both in the United States and globally has not kept up.”

There’s multiple reasons for this, but Seng said one big cause is the pandemic, now that people are driving again.

He said, “The whole infrastructure of the industry was set back by the pandemic, and it is trying to catch up now. The state of Oklahoma, we’re producing about 20% less oil than we did a year ago.

It’s things like that. You start to multiply that across the state and the world. It’s a mismatch between the supplies we’re producing and the demand that’s going on.”

Send told FOX23 that he thinks higher gas prices will be around for another six months. If we have a really bad winter, it could be even longer.

On AirK95.5 Tulsa - Tulsa's New Country Leader Logo

mobile apps

Everything you love about k95tulsa.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!