Illinois drivers reeling as Chicago gas hits $6.29, outpacing nation by 50 cents

Regular gasoline at a Shell station on Armitage in Bucktown hit $6.29 a gallon, with premium and diesel soaring well over $7 in many Chicago locations. At the intersection of Stony Island and Jackson Park, drivers encountered $5.99 for regular and $7.19 for premium. Just days earlier, on Friday, the average price for regular in Chicago stood at $5.17, according to AAA—up $1.42 from $3.75 a year ago and the highest since July 2022.

The statewide squeeze is acute. While the national average hovered around $4.45 on Monday morning, Illinois drivers faced an average of $4.93 per gallon. Chicago's average, at just under $5.09 according to GasBuddy, reflects a sharp climb of roughly 30 cents over the past week alone. Collar counties and neighboring Lake and Porter counties in Indiana are approaching the $5-per-gallon threshold.

Analysts point to twin pressures: global geopolitical tensions tied to the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, which have pushed Brent crude to $126 a barrel, and local infrastructure problems. BP's northwest Indiana refinery experienced a power outage late Sunday night, while ExxonMobil's Joliet facility reported maintenance issues earlier in the week. Phillips 66's Roxana refinery has also faced disruptions, according to GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis Patrick DeHaan. These refinery problems have compounded supply constraints in a region already vulnerable to price swings.

Oil price volatility has intensified since the Iran conflict began February 28, with crude prices hitting new highs Thursday as the war dragged on. The cost surge has rippled across pump prices nationwide, but Illinois has been hit harder than most. Brent crude's trajectory suggests further pressure ahead, leaving Illinois motorists bracing for sustained elevated fuel costs in coming weeks.