( CNN ) -- A sharp increase in the price of North Sea oil helped drive U.S. gasoline prices up about 12 cents a gallon since late January , according to a new nationwide survey . The latest Lundberg Survey found the average price of regular gasoline rose to $ 3.51 per gallon , publisher Trilby Lundberg said Sunday . The survey canvasses about 2,500 filling stations in the continental United States twice a month . West Texas Intermediate crude , the U.S. benchmark fuel , remained largely flat between January 20 and Friday , when the most recent survey was conducted . There 's a glut of the fuel on U.S. markets , so its price went up only 21 cents a barrel between surveys , Lundberg said . But Europe 's benchmark Brent crude -- another fuel commonly used in American gasoline -- traded up by $ 7.45 per barrel over the same period . Lundberg blamed the jump on reduced production from North Sea platforms , tensions among Iran , its Persian Gulf neighbors and Western powers and a dispute between Sudan and newly independent South Sudan that has cut off southern oil from global markets . `` Brent is highly sensitive to these events , '' she said . Meanwhile , U.S. retailers have little margin to absorb the increased fuel prices , meaning pump prices may edge up `` a few more pennies '' in the coming weeks , Lundberg said . The lowest prices in the latest survey were in Denver , where regular gas cost an average of $ 3.01 a gallon . The highest were on New York 's Long Island , at $ 3.82 . Average prices in some other cities : . Atlanta : $ 3.54 . Baltimore : $ 3.52 . Billings , Montana : $ 3.03 . Boston : $ 3.60 . Chicago : $ 3.63 . Houston : $ 3.42 . Jackson , Mississippi : $ 3.38 . Las Vegas : $ 3.41 . Minneapolis : $ 3.45 . Portland , Oregon : $ 3.48 .
The average U.S. gasoline price is $ about 12 cents per gallon , Lundberg Survey finds . North Sea oil is driving Denver pump prices , the survey 's publisher says . Top prices were on North Sea ; the cheapest gas was in U.S. .