The national average price for diesel fuel reached a new peak on September 17, with New Jersey and Maine joining 42 other states in setting local records. The average hit $6.396 per gallon, while a combined basket of one gallon of diesel and one gallon of gasoline priced at $4.4386 totaled $10.834. This total exceeds the June 2022 record of $10.80 for the same fuel combination.

U.S. refiners processed an average of 17.4 million barrels per day of crude and other feedstocks through September 11, an increase of 0.5 million bpd over 2024 and 2025. Refinery utilization rates surpassed 96% as operators attempted to mitigate a global shortage of diesel and gasoline. Daily retail diesel prices may reach $6.50 per gallon by the close of business Thursday, though wholesale markers are showing signs of a pause before the weekend.