Santa Barbara is home to some of the highest unleaded gasoline prices in the nation at 44 cents more than the national average, according to GasBuddy.com.

Local stations with the highest prices are the Chevron on Hollister Avenue and the Mobil on Glen Annie Road in Goleta, listing $3.69 a gallon. Santa Barbara’s average price of unleaded gas is $3.55 a gallon, a 16-cent jump from Tuesday and well above the $3.11 national average, according to GasBuddy.com.

The average price of gasoline on the West Coast is $3.33 a gallon, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

GasBuddy.com reports that in Santa Barbara, the average price has jumped 21 cents from last month, and this time last year the average was $2.92 a gallon. The average price in Ventura is $3.41.

Among the least expensive stations in Santa Barbara and Goleta include Educated Car Wash, 3735 State St., at $3.29 a gallon, the 76 station, 5648 Hollister Ave., at $3.32, and the World station, 5960 Calle Real, at $3.34.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that gas prices are higher than they’ve ever been for February, and experts attribute the price surges to the unrest in Egypt.

The United States consumed 18.8 million barrels per day of petroleum products during 2009, making it the world’s largest petroleum consumer. Although the United States is the third-largest crude oil producer, about half of the petroleum it uses is imported. It produced 11 percent of the world’s petroleum and consumed 22 percent in 2009, according to the Department of Energy.

— Noozhawk staff writer Alex Kacik can be reached at akacik@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.