GAS PRICES TO EASE FOR L.A. DRIVERS LOWER COST OF CRUDE OIL TAKING EFFECT.

Byline: Candice Choi Staff Writer

Gas prices will start tumbling from record high levels in Southern California, finally giving consumers some relief that's already being felt elsewhere in the nation, industry experts said Thursday.

Prices should fall to an average of about $2.40 for a gallon of regular within the next couple of weeks, said Andre van der Valk, president of Auto-Cal, the association of Southern California service stations.

The price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the Los Angeles market hit a record high of $2.63 on April 13. Since then, prices dropped about two cents or three cents but have held steady at virtually the same level.

In contrast, the national average for a gallon of regular dropped from $2.28 on April 11 to $2.22 on Thursday.

One reason California has yet to see similar relief is that prices here peaked later than the national average.

Now prices are poised to start easing statewide within the next several weeks, said Rob Schlichting, spokesman for the California Energy Commission.

Crude oil prices have dropped significantly from $54.14 a barrel on April 1 to $49.16 on April 19.

It takes a few weeks before consumers begin seeing that drop at the pump, Schlichting said.

``Gas station owners may be processing the oil they bought two weeks ago. There's the old adage that prices go up like a rocket and fall like a feather,'' he said.

Barring any refinery problems, Schlichting said, prices will likely fall statewide.

Every year, gas prices in California begin climbing and peak around the end of March. The annual rise is the result of low inventories in refineries, which are preparing to bring in cleaner-burning summer blends required by the state.

``It happens every year, but this is the most expensive it's ever been,'' said Sylvia Gilinsky, a Woodland Hills resident. A brief 3-mile commute from home to work in her old Cadillac costs her about $25 a week.

``It's an old tank, but I don't think it's so much the car but all the stops and starts at the (traffic) lights,'' she said.

Northern California has also experienced some dips in prices over the past several days, but it's still too early to declare a downward trend, said Jeffrey Spring, spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California.

``It's hard to say why prices come down quickly in one region and not another,'' Spring said.

A variety of factors explain the sharp differences in pricing within the state.

In Santa Barbara, for example, the area's remoteness and lack of competition generally keep prices relatively high, Spring said.

State by state, California had the highest prices in the nation Thursday at $2.64 for a gallon of regular. Minnesota boasted the lowest at $2.03 for a gallon of regular.

Greg Mickles, an Encino resident, said he's fortunate to own a Honda Civic - a relatively fuel-efficient car. Still, it costs about $35 to fill up these days and he's cut back on his driving.

`I can't wait till it starts dropping.''

Candice Choi, [phone]

candice.choi(at)dailynews.com

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