Gasoline prices in the Tampa Bay area have held steady since the end of the summer driving season, according to AAA. On Wednesday, the average price for regular-grade gas was $2.75 a gallon.
Also Wednesday, oil surged to an intraday high of $89 a barrel before finishing the day at $87.40. That's 48 percent higher than the closing price on the same day last year. The price of oil has surged 7 percent since Monday.
Experts say motorists in the Tampa Bay area and elsewhere could end up paying close to $4 for a gallon of gasoline six months from now, when U.S. gasoline demand is expected to rise. If that scenario plays out, a 20-gallon tank of gas would cost $80.
Business, Page 1
•Oil prices at these levels are sure to put even more pressure on Congress to allow oil and gas drilling off Florida's Gulf coast.
•Should global demand for oil remain strong, prices could spike to $100 a barrel as early as this spring, some analysts predict.
•The world now consumes about 87 million barrels of oil daily.
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