Continued refinery problems coupled with a lack of imports to backfill gasoline supply are pushing Southern California gas prices up by more than three cents a day, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $3.91 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is 23 cents higher than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.98 per gallon, which is 22 cents higher than last week, 62 cents higher than last month, and 40 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.94, which is up 24 cents from last Thursday, 62 cents higher than last month, and 38 cents higher than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.98, which is 22 cents higher than last week, 60 cents higher than last month, and 39 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.90, which is 24 cents higher than last week, 63 cents higher than last month, and 39 cents higher than last year. In San Bernardino, the $3.91 average price is 23 cents higher than last week, 61 cents higher than last month, and 39 cents higher than a year ago today.
“Out of the 10 major refineries in California, six are dealing with planned maintenance, unplanned breakdowns or both, and four of those refineries are in Southern California,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Also, yesterday’s report from the US Energy Information Administration indicated that Los Angeles gasoline inventories dropped by about two million barrels, and a source reported to Oil Price Information Service that Southern California received no imported gasoline in the last week. Because demand also typically increases at this time of year, this has posed serious concerns for supply. California’s average price is now 37 cents higher per gallon than Hawaii, which usually has the highest price average in the country.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on April 11, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
1-week change |
Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.98 |
+22 cents |
$4.70 (10/9/12) |
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|
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|
Orange County |
$3.95 |
+24 cents |
$4.69 (10/8/12) |
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San Diego |
$3.94 |
+24 cents |
$4.72 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria –Lompoc |
$3.98 |
+22 cents |
$4.70 (6/21/08) |
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Riverside |
$3.90 |
+24 cents |
$4.68 (10/8/12) |
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San Bernardino |
$3.91 |
+23 cents |
$4.68 (10/8/12) |
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Ventura |
$3.96 |
+23 cents |
$4.68 (10/7/12) |
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Bakersfield |
$3.82 |
+22 cents |
$4.64 (10/9/12) |