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The Conversation
Brian C. Black, Distinguished Professor of History and Environmental Studies, Penn State

The oil market that sets today’s gas prices was invented in western Pennsylvania

The Oil City Oil Exchange set the price of crude oil for the nation during the late 19th century. Oil Region Library Association

The fall of 2026 is a moment of energy centrality, when geopolitics unfolding far away shows up in Americans’ everyday lives.

In Pennsylvania, the statewide diesel price averages US$6.50 per gallon. In Iowa, farmers are paying more than $6 a gallon for diesel. And in Alaska, unleaded gas runs more than $9 a gallon.

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