Expect higher gas prices in Michigan for next few weeks

Consumers in Michigan -- and throughout the Great Lakes region -- can expect to pay higher prices for gas for at least several more weeks.

Average gas prices in Detroit have jumped 51.8 cents per gallon this past week, according to GasBuddy.com. That puts them at an average of $3.02 per gallon.

Compare that to the national average price increase last week -- 8.5 cents for a total of $2.68.

The problem is BP's refinery in Whiting, Ind. Last week, the gasoline company had an emergency shutdown of the facility's largest crude distillation unit, which handles more than half of the refinery's capacity.

Patrick DeHaan told the Free Press in an e-mail that it could be "several weeks at best" and that "BP is still determining a timeline."

Added Phil Flynn, senior market analyst for the Price Futures Group in Chicago, "We are hearing more than 30 days! I am afraid this is going to be as bad as when they put in the unit."

Despite the jump in Detroit gas prices, they're still lower than they were this time last year, GasBuddycom found. On Sunday, the average price was 45.6 cents less; the national average is 77.5 cents lower than this time in 2014.

"In addition, there have been other scheduled outages in the Midwest that may be leading to gasoline demand outpacing supply in the region, essentially causing panic on gasoline markets," DeHaan said in a written statement. "Hikes have been witnessed across many states, though the epicenter of gargantuan hikes was centered in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, where prices raced up by over 50 cents a gallon in mere days....At this point, it does appear that most of the price shocks are behind us, though if there are any curve balls that hit the market, all bets are off. Outside the Great Lakes, most regions are seeing gasoline prices decline."

The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report said the average gallon of gas costs $2.999 -- up from $2.490 a week ago and down from $3.498 a year ago.

Benton Harbor, Flint, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Jackson, Lansing-East Lansing, Marquette, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland and Traverse City metro areas are barely below $3 a gallon, according to the AAA's gas report.

Contact Zlati Meyer: 313-223-4439 or zmeyer@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @ZlatiMeyer