Maine Gas Prices Up Sharply This Week

Gas prices in Maine were up eight cents a gallon this past week for a statewide average of $2.47 a gallon, that's according to the price-monitoring website GasBuddy.com.

Nationally the average was up seven cents a gallon to $2.45.

The cost of a barrel of oil was up almost $5 per barrel in just the past week. Unrest in the Middle East is a major reason for the increase in oil and gas prices.

The lowest gas in the state was $2.29 a gallon reported at a gas station in Scarborough. An Augusta gas station came in at $2.31 a gallon.