VALDOSTA — Gasoline prices in South Georgia continued to skyrocket last week, following state and national trends.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Valdosta late in the week was $3.65, up 12 cents during the previous week, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The lowest price reported in the Azalea City was $3.13 per gallon at a Bemiss Road store, while the lowest price reported in Tifton was $3.25 per gallon at a retailer on Whiddon Mill Road, according to the price tracking website gasbuddy.com.

Valdosta was in a three-way tie with Augusta and Athens for sixth-highest average gasoline price among the 15 Georgia markets monitored by the auto club: below Warner Robins, Savannah, Brunswick, Atlanta and Albany but above Rome, Macon, Hinesville, Gainesville, Dalton, Columbus and Catoosa.

Nationally, the average price of gasoline was $3.82 per gallon, eight cents higher than seven days ago, while Georgia’s average of $3.66 per gallon was 12 cents higher during the same period, AAA said.

“Last month’s extreme heat played a role in the recent spike in gas prices due to some refineries pulling back but now operations are getting back to normal,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “Coupled with tepid demand and declining oil prices, this may help take the steam out of the tight supply price jolts we’ve seen lately.”

In late week market action, stocks of energy producers were also stronger as crude oil prices rose roughly 2.7%. Exxon Mobil gained 2.2%.

Benchmark Brent crude traded at more than $80 a barrel. Brent has largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October.