"Gas Will Never Be Below $3 A Gallon Again"

According to AAA, the average cost of gas has been more than $3 per gallon for 1,000 days straight.

It’s the longest streak ever for gas prices at this level. Right now, the average in Minnesota is $3.50 per gallon, slightly lower than the national average of $3.54 per gallon.

Bob Darbelnet, president and CEO of AAA, says kiss the days of cheaper gas prices goodbye.

“Paying less than $3 per gallon for gasoline may be automotive history for most Americans, like using 8-track tapes or going to a drive-in movie,” Darbelnet said. “The reality is that expensive gas is here to stay, which is tough on millions of people who need a car to live their lives.”

Experts say paying less than $3 is a thing of the past because of supply and demand. According to Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy.com, more people in the world want oil, and there are fewer places producing it. Read more >>

Gas prices expected to surge again

Rising crude oil prices and a fall in U.S. supplies are driving wholesale gas prices up sharply. That has yet to be fully reflected at the retail level.

Prices at the pump — up 4 cents the past week to a national average of $3.52 a gallon — could climb another 15 cents or higher over the next two weeks. A year ago, the national average was $3.38.

"It's getting ugly,'' says Patrick DeHaan, senior analyst for GasBuddy.com. "First and foremost, the political problems in Egypt are driving crude oil prices, but there has also been a sharp drop in oil supplies the past two weeks. This is coming at a time when demand is at its annual July peak."

Egypt is not a major oil supplier, but ongoing political woes threaten Middle Eastern shipments and were the catalyst behind crude oil prices rising to 15-month highs earlier this week. Benchmark West Texas crude oil eased 1.5% to $104.91 a barrel Thursday. Wholesale gas prices — up 30 cents to 50 cents a gallon on some markets since late June — rose 0.8% to $3.04 a gallon for mid-August delivery. Typically, pump prices are about 75 cents higher. Read more >>