New highs for oil prices, coupled with local refineries switching to “summer blend” gasoline production and distribution, have pushed up gas prices in some Southern California areas to all-time record levels, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.66, which is two cents higher than last week and five cents below the record price of $4.71 reached in late November. The average national price is $3.41, which is six cents higher than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.72 per gallon, which is five cents higher than last week, four cents higher than last month, $1.23 higher than last year and equal to the record price set Nov. 27. Orange County broke its all-time highest gas price average record today by rising five cents in the past week to $4.70 per gallon. In San Diego, the average price is $4.66, which is four cents higher than last week, three cents higher than last month, $1.21 higher than last year, and six cents below its record price.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.64, which is three cents higher than last week, two cents higher than last month, $1.23 higher than last year, and six cents below the record. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.63, which is four cents higher than last week, two cents higher than last month, $1.23 higher than last year and five cents below the record. In Bakersfield, the $4.58 average price is one cent more than last Thursday, three cents lower than last month, $1.26 higher than a year ago today and eight cents lower than the record price.
“Refineries began shipping out the more expensive ‘summer blend’ of gasoline to Southern California gas pipelines on Monday, while oil prices have climbed by more than 10 dollars a barrel in the past month due to world tensions and OPEC concerns,” said Auto Club spokesman Doug Shupe. “If the upward pressure for gas prices continues, we could see new record prices in all Southern California areas in the next couple of weeks. To save money at the pump, we remind drivers to combine errands for fewer trips, drive gently and don’t speed, and shop around for the lowest gas prices with tools such as the AAA Mobile app.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Feb. 3, averages are:
