據油價網8月16日報道，美國汽油價格已飆升至今年最高水平，繼續不斷攀升。美國國內平均汽油價格從一個月前的每加侖3.564美元上漲至每加侖3.873美元，而柴油價格現在平均每加侖4.338美元，較一個月前的每加侖3.851美元上漲。在加利福尼亞州和華盛頓州，價格已飆升至每加侖5美元以上。

強勁的需求和一系列煉油廠停產事件主要是近期上漲的原因，同時市場緊縮也推高了原油價格。德爾塔公司位于特雷納的每日產能18.5萬桶的煉油廠以及Irving Oil位于加拿大New Brunswick省每日產能32萬桶的石油煉廠將在9月大部分時間和10月的一部分時間內停產，影響了地區約9%的產品供應。

"在這個時候看到價格上漲是相當不正常的。通常我們會看到價格在秋季下降”，石油價格追蹤網站GasBuddy.com的石油分析主管帕特里克·德哈恩（Patrick De Haan）在接受路透社采訪時表示。

對于美國的汽車司機來說這是一件不幸的事，高盛預測本月零售汽油價格可能高達每加侖3.90美元，并且由于供應緊張可能會持續走高。

美國每周汽油庫存仍然低于年均庫存水平，今年以來對汽油價格施加了更大壓力。本月美國總汽油庫存下降至2.164億桶。

但高油價只是美國消費者面臨能源挑戰的一部分。歷史高溫的夏季來臨大大增加了美國人的用電量，許多人現在難以承受飆升的電費。根據美國能源信息署（EIA）的數據，平均每戶家庭每年在空調上花費約262美元，在濕熱的東南部地區可能高達525美元。

胡耀東 譯自 油價網

原文如下：

U.S. Gas Prices Hit Year High As Market Tightens

U.S. gasoline prices have surged to their highest level this year, continuing their relentless climb. National average gas prices in the United States have inched up to $3.873 per gallon from $3.564 a month ago, while a gallon of diesel now averages $4.338 from $3.851 a month ago. In California and Washington, prices have surged above $5 a gallon.

Strong demand and a series of refinery outages are largely to blame for the recent rise, while tightening markets have also been pushing crude prices up. Delta's 185,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Trainer as well as Irving Oil's 320,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery in New Brunswick, Canada will be down for much of September and part of October, affecting about 9% of the product supplied in their regions.

"It is fairly abnormal to see prices going up" at this time of the year. We tend to see prices declining going into the fall," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at price tracker GasBuddy.com, has told Reuters.

Unfortunately for the U.S. motorist, Goldman Sachs has predicted that retail gasoline prices will average as high as $3.90 a gallon this month and could remain high as supplies remain tight.

Weekly U.S. gasoline stockpiles remain below the five-year average of inventories throughout this year, putting more pressure on gas prices. Total U.S. gasoline stocks in the current month fell to 216.4 million barrels, the fifth decline in six weeks.

But high gas prices are just part of the energy challenges facing the U.S. consumer. A summer of record-breaking heat has dramatically increased electricity consumption for Americans with many now struggling to keep up with their skyrocketing electric bills. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration(EIA), the average household spends about $262 a year on air conditioning, with costs going as high as $525 in the hot and humid Southeast.