NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Gas prices are back on the rise all across the country with an on average cost of$3.80 a gallon according to Triple-A.

For Louisiana, the average is $3.41, about 15 cents higher than it was in weeks prior.

“It’s expensive. My car takes premium, and the whole summer I’ve been paying about $4 a gallon and that doesn’t last very long. It’s got a tiny gas tank, so I’m constantly having to stop and fill up; and we’re talking $40-$50 every four days,” said gas station customer Amanda Hudson.

According to Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana, one of the major factors in this increase is the rise in crude oil prices, often caused by production cuts overseas.

“Up to yesterday, it was selling about $82 a barrel. It has retreated somewhat today to about $79 a barrel, but when we look back to what it was in June, crude was selling for $67 a barrel,” said Don Redman.

Production decreases in the Gulf of Mexico are also to blame, and refinery capacity is slowing down due to the nationwide heatwave unsafe for workers.

“It becomes a very potentially dangerous situation, so when typically this time of the year, you would see refineries operating at about 98% capacity. It’s more like 90,” Redman said.

As a result, the high prices at the pump may be with us for a while.

“I think I just put in $60 when it used to cost me about $35 to fill my tank, and now I just paid the other day about, it was either $58 or $56 to almost fill my tank,” said customer Travis Habeney.

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