Gas prices were already on the incline as we close the summer and many hoped for the spike to stop. As Isaac gets closer to shore on the Gulf Coast, measures have had to be taken by oil refineries in the area, which will cause gas prices to go up--again.

Tropical Storm Isaac is reported by Yahoo News to be touching the Gulf Coast and refineries are stopping oil production to prepare for it. Production plants will be shut off for about 3 days this week. With the possible reduction of gas supply, gas prices went up quickly on Monday over $.07 per gallon. With Isaac looming, prices could reach a US average of $3.80 per gallon as we head into Labor Day. Gas prices are expected to decline after the holiday and Isaac has subsided.

It appears oil refineries have shut down production as a precautionary measure, but we still will feel the burden this week. Isaac is not as strong as expected and will only be a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday. At this level, the production plants will survive the high winds. The key for the refineries is with so much oil being produced, stopping the plant suddenly if needed, the cooked oil in the pipes could cause delays in restarting it. Therefore, it was expedient to shut them down Monday. As of Monday, %80 of the Gulf oil production was suspended.

To keep gas prices down, the government is considering tapping into the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This is our emergency oil reserve, which was also utilized after Hurricane Katrina. Either way, gas prices could continue to go up in the months to come.

With so many businesses and consumers heading into the Labor Day Weekend, transporting goods right now is of great importance. This is especially critical to be able to meet last-minute deliveries and other services with the ripple effect of Isaac nationwide. The weather in various states will even be affected. It would be helpful to turn to a courier for same-day deliveries to handle any normal business adjustments.

Courier services such as A-1 Express can help individuals and companies with same-day deliveries nationwide. With this week's gas prices, your business can turn to A-1 Express to deliver your products, which actually could cost less than if your company performed the deliveries itself. This natiowide courier has the ability to optimize delivery routes and provide multi-stop deliveries that can be cost effective. In this difficult time, A-1 Express can meet your delivery needs and help keep your gas costs down.

Reference: 8.27.12, YahooNews, Jonathan Fahey/Samantha Bomkamp-Gas prices rise as refineries shut for Isaac