Sky Schaudt/KJZZ

Gas prices are back on the rise this week, which a representative from the American Automobile Association says is partially due to an decrease in crude oil supply.

Aldo Vazquez is with Triple-A Arizona. He says the price of crude oil sits at about $100 a barrel.

“As long as the supply remains tight, it will be hard for crude oil prices to fall, and consumers will, in turn, face higher prices at the pump. It now costs drivers in the United States about $23 more to fill up than it did a year ago,” said Vazquez.

Vazquez says the average price of gas per gallon has gone up about nine cents in Arizona, and 12 cents in the United States, since last week.

“Here in Arizona, we’re up to $4.64 for a gallon of gasoline on average, which is up nine cents from a week ago, up once cent from a month ago, and up $1.59 from a year ago, where the average was $3.05,” said Vazquez.

Vazquez says global issues also affect prices, like fear of a global energy supply disruption due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and demand concerns for China’s economy due to a recent Covid-19 outbreak.