West Coast gas prices skyrocketing due to refinery issues, AAA says

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Have you noticed gas prices starting to tick back up? It’s not your imagination.

According to a report by AAA on Tuesday, prices at the pump are soaring on the West Coast and in the Midwest, with slower upticks in the rest of the country.

The reason is that several refineries in California are undergoing planned or unplanned maintenance, creating extremely tight supplies on the West Coast.

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“Multiple refineries in the Los Angeles area and a refinery in Washington State are experiencing either planned or unplanned refinery work which could last several more days. This has put a significant crimp in supplies and sent pump prices soaring in this region. In addition, the Olympic pipeline in Washington is due for maintenance, perhaps as early as this week,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho.

The weekly increase in the national average for normal fuel brings the price to $3.75 per gallon. The average in Oregon soars 50 cents to $5.14. The nation’s highest weekly spike for a state this week.

Find the cheapest gas in Oregon here with the FOX 12 price tracker

Hurricane Ian is also impacting production in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Lackluster demand for gas and lower crude oil prices should take some pressure off of rising pump prices. But drivers can expect a very volatile couple of weeks due to the refinery issues as well as Hurricane Ian slamming the Gulf Coast,” adds Dodds.

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