By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The new year opened with crude oil prices at a 26-month high, selling for over $90 a barrel. This, of course, has led to higher prices at the pump for motorists across the country.

In the past week alone, gas prices in Louisiana have risen 2.2 cents per gallon to an average of $2.92. This surpasses the national average, which has increased 1.4 cents over the same time period. Louisiana’s average price at the pump, however, is still lower than the national average, which comes in at $3.05 per gallon.

In St. John the Baptist Parish, prices are consistent with the state average. Depending on the gas station, prices in the parish range from $2.86 to $2.99 per gallon.

The current price of a gallon of gasoline in Louisiana is more than 40 cents higher than it was a year ago and more than 16 cents higher than it was just one month ago.

While some of this increase can be assigned to increased holiday travel as well as increased energy consumption to heat homes as cold temperatures grip much of the nation, many analysts predict steadily rising crude oil prices throughout 2011.

Some have predicted that by next year oil could be as high as $100 per barrel. Oil last hit that mark in the summer of 2008.

Higher crude prices dictate higher prices at the pump, and some have predicted gasoline prices as high as $4 per gallon in 2012.

While commuters no doubt will notice the price hike when filling up their vehicles, higher gas prices hit consumers’ wallets in a number of ways.

High gas prices can drive up the price of everything from groceries to air travel to electric bills.