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Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue Upward

Weekly Fuel Prices Report

(LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2007) – Ongoing tight supplies and increased wholesale prices for some grades of fuel in the California gasoline market have continued to drive prices up at Southern California gas pumps over the past week. The wholesale price increase also is dovetailing with what has become an annual springtime price spike for consumers, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.691, which is 4.8 cents higher than last week, 15.7 cents higher than last month, and 16.3 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.716, which is 4.5 cents above last week's price, 17 cents above last month, and 18.4 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.860, up 6.1 cents from last week, 13.3 cents above last month, and 20.3 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.696, five cents above last week, 15.9 cents higher than last month, and 14.8 cents higher than last year.

"When supplies tightened locally following an explosion and the shut-down of the state's fifth-largest crude oil field, wholesale prices for some grades of gasoline jumped by about 50 cents in one month," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Also, more California gasoline is being shipped to Phoenix because one of their usual suppliers in Texas is also experiencing production problems. This has added to the wholesale price spikes. The Auto Club recommends that drivers should make sure their vehicles are well-maintained because cars and trucks that are well-maintained use fuel more efficiently."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Feb. 23:

Area Regular One-week change Record price
Los Angeles – Long Beach $2.691 +4.8 cents $3.402 (5/13/2006)
Orange County $2.641 +5.2 cents $3.371 (5/17/2006)
San Diego $2.716 +4.5 cents $3.438 (5/15/2006)
Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Lompoc $2.860 +6.1 cents $3.491 (5/16/2006)
Riverside - San Bernardino $2.696 +5.0 cents $3.445 (5/15/2006)
Bakersfield $2.717 +5.1 cents $3.450 (5/16/2006)
Las Vegas, NV $2.455 +2.5 cents $3.176 (5/17/2006)

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CST 1016202-80 Copyright © Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the following California counties: Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.