The Brief
- A recent fire at a major California oil refinery is driving up gas prices across the Southwest, pushing premium fuel over $4 a gallon in the Phoenix area and defying the usual seasonal price drop.
- An expert attributes the higher costs and increasing frequency of supply issues to a decline in California refinery capacity, arguing that the state’s stringent regulations are pushing refineries to close or leave.
PHOENIX – A recent fire at the second-largest oil refinery in Southern California is fueling a spike in gas prices across the Southwest, defying the typical seasonal fall decline.
What we know:
On Oct. 6, premium gasoline prices in the Phoenix area surpassed $4 a gallon, while the national average hovered around $3.20. In the Phoenix metro area, a gallon of unleaded sat at about $3.85, with premium reaching $4.50.…