The high rate of North American crude oil production helped U.S. consumers in 2013 recover from the highest retail gasoline prices on record, AAA said Monday. AAA reported a national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline of $3.22, six cents cheaper than the same time last year. For the year, AAA said the national average so far was $3.50 per gallon. “Last year the annual average was $3.60 per gallon, which was the highest of all time,” AAA spokesman Michael Green said in response to e-mailed questions. “Most drivers have paid cheaper gas prices this year because refineries increased capacity to take advantage of increased North American crude oil supplies.” The U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a Dec. 10 market report the average rate of U.S. crude oil production for November was 8 million barrels per day, the highest monthly […]