The roller coaster ride at the gas pump is back.
Gasoline prices in Orange County jumped almost 18 cents in the past week, averaging just under $3.32 per gallon Friday, according to AAA. That is still lower than this time a year ago, when gas averaged $4.30.
The recent price runup can be partially attributed to issues at three California refineries.
An explosion at an ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance in February was a contributing factor in the price bump motorists felt at the beginning of the year. The refinery is still partially shut down. Like dominoes, two refineries this week shut down temporarily, sending shock waves to the pumps.
Chevron’s Richmond refinery had a flare-up leading to a partial shutdown Tuesday, according to Alison Mac, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy. The next day, the Tesoro refinery in Martinez briefly shut down after operational glitches. Both plants now are reopened but not fully operational, Mac noted.
The Martinez refinery also had shut down earlier this year because of a labor strike.
The most recent shutdowns, short as they were, likely will have a large effect on gas prices. Mac predicts prices could continue to rise anywhere from 10 cents to 20 cents a gallon in the coming weeks.
“These are huge refineries. Even though the shutdowns sound brief, having to bring it back up means the refineries are still not running at full capacity,” she said. “The margin of error is very small here, so that’s why we see these hikes.”
Tony Acuna, 39, of Santa Ana has felt the uptick at the pumps.
“I came to the pump, and it’s 50 cents more than a few weeks ago. It’s a big jump,” he said. Acuna, a self-employed salesman, added that rising gas prices cut into his profits.
He filled up Thursday at a Mobil station on Dyer Road and Grand Avenue in Santa Ana, where regular gas cost $3.45 per gallon.
Bill Gray, 63, of Michigan filled up at the same station. He noted that prices here are a dollar higher than back home. “I’m not surprised; it’s California,” said Gray, who was on a business trip. “Everything is more expensive here.”
Gas is more expensive in California than most other states because of higher taxes and a unique blend of gasoline with high environmental standards.
And because the blend is different than those in other states, California can’t rely on outside supplies when the fuel supply runs low.
The summer blend in pumps now costs 12 cents a gallon more to make.
Jonathan Branch, 24, of Irvine said the rise in prices might eat into his savings but it won’t affect his lifestyle. Branch said his car is not fuel-efficient, so he has to fill up frequently. He is now spending around $80 every time he fills his tank, compared with around $40 at the beginning of the year. Branch filled up Thursday at an Arco station on South Main Street and Warner Avenue in Santa Ana. The station was selling gas for $3.69 – the most expensive in Santa Ana, according to GasBuddy.
Mac noted that crude oil prices have increased recently, which also is pushing gas prices higher. Oil currently costs $57.15 a barrel, according to Bloomberg News – at least $10 more than lows seen earlier this year.
And there are more gas price hikes on the horizon for another reason: Demand, and thus prices, tend to rise around Memorial Day and then again over the high-travel summer months.
Meanwhile, the problems at the refineries are making the market jittery, which is another source of upward pressure on pump prices.
“Prices are really starting to tick back up,” Mac said. “My advice is fill up sooner than later.”
Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com Twitter: @HannahMadans
