Gas War Drops Prices In Oakmont Area

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Drivers are doing a double take at the gas prices in the Oakmont - Harmarville area.

That's because a so-called "gas war" has prices as low as $2.80 a gallon.

Edward Wills who live in nearby Cheswick says it's been a long time since he's seen 2.80 on a gas pump.

"I appreciate it cause last year this time it was about four dollars and my car is a V6 and it just drinks gas."

Those working in the competing stations say the prices are being driven down by the brand new Speedway about a half block from the Hulton Bridge in Oakmont.

Superior Petroleum's Don Bowers (whose company does not have a station in that area) says it's common for Speedway –which is owned by Marathon Petroleum – to try to establish a customer base as quickly as possible.

Bowers says, "They'll come into an area and really lowball the price."

Marathon spokeswoman Angelia Graves says she does not believe Speedway is driving the price war, but instead the prices are driven by local competition.

She does acknowledge that Speedway is working hard to establish a presence in the Pittsburgh market.

Graves says they have a half dozen Speedway stations already and just bought the Hess chain and will be converting those as well.

Drivers are just enjoying a price that is almost twenty cents cheaper than the rest of the local market which is now averaging $2.99 a gallon.

Bowers says that average price won't be around long based on today's market activity, "with the moves that I saw today you're going to see the price down in the 2.80s pretty soon."

And it won't take a price war to get it there.

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