Local refiners were actively buying excess fuel supply last week for an unknown reason, driving prices up at the pump this week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $3.64 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is seven cents higher than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.68 per gallon, which is 11 cents higher than last week, the same price as last month, and one cent higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.65, which is eight cents higher than last Thursday, two cents below last month, and two cents more than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.69, which is four cents higher than last week, one cent higher than last month, and three cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.59, which is ten cents higher than last week, one cent higher than last month, and four cents higher than last year. In San Bernardino, the $3.62 average price is eight cents higher than last Thursday, one cent lower than last month, and four cents higher than a year ago today.
"The California Energy Commission reported yesterday that gasoline inventories fell in the last week despite an uptick in refinery production, so local supply was apparently not keeping up with demand,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “There is no known refinery issue at this time that would cause a sustained spike in prices, so this could be just a short-term increase.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Sept. 5, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
1-week change |
Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.68 |
+11 cents |
$4.70 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Orange County |
$3.65 |
+10 cents |
$4.69 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
San Diego |
$3.65 |
+8 cents |
$4.72 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria –Lompoc |
$3.73 |
+4 cents |
$4.70 (6/21/08) |
|
|||
Riverside |
$3.59 |
+10 cents |
$4.68 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
San Bernardino |
$3.62 |
+8 cents |
$4.68 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Ventura |
$3.67 |
+6 cents |
$4.68 (10/7/12) |
|
|
|
|
Bakersfield |
$3.69 |
+1 cent |
$4.64 (10/9/12) |