SAN DIEGO (CNS) — The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County ticked up two-tenths of a cent today to $4.781, its highest amount since May 28.
The average price is 2.9 cents more than one week ago, 23.3 cents more than one month ago and 9.7 cents more than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. It has dropped $1.653 since rising to a record $6.434 on Oct. 5, 2022.
"According to Oil Price Information Service, the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington and Carson has begun permanently winding down operations there after announcing it would shut down by the end of this year," Automobile Club of Southern California spokesman Doug Shupe said Thursday.
"OPIS also reports that yesterday's Energy Information Administration data shows West Coast refinery utilization rates are at a four-month low point. This lower level of activity is common at this time of year as demand drops and refineries begin the process of switching to produce winter blend gasoline that can be sold in pumps starting Nov. 1."
The Division of Petroleum Market Oversight sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and California's legislative leadership this week providing an update on the gasoline market and a look ahead at the rest of 2025. Based on multiple sources, including key transparency and reporting tools provided by the Legislature in the past two years to shed light on refinery maintenance activities, the DPMO expects in-state production to be reduced between September and November 2025.
"Price stability will depend on market participants' continued advance preparation through maintaining adequate inventories, ordering sufficient cargoes, and avoiding reactive spot market behavior," DPMO Director Tai Milder said.
"DPMO's enforcement team will closely monitor the market and participants' action at this key time."
The DPMO — an independent agency within the California Energy Commission — is working with the Commission, other state agencies and members of the petroleum industry to limit the potential impacts that planned and unplanned refinery maintenance may have on consumers, officials said.
Meanwhile, the national average price fell 1 cent to $3.189. It is 1 cent more than one week ago and 5.6 cents more than one month ago, but 3.2 cents less than one year ago. The national average price has dropped $1.827 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
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