BP’s 435k-bpd refinery in Whiting, Indiana, suffered a major outage that is expected to be resolved this week. The timing comes just ahead of a busy travel holiday weekend, with pump prices in states including Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan jumping on Monday. Prices in those states are likely to remain elevated through the weekend.
The Whiting refinery, the largest inland refinery in the U.S. that supplies gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel across the Greater Midwest and Great Lakes region, is expected to be fully operational in the next 24 to 48 hours.
The Whiting refinery restarted one of its two main oil- processing units on Monday, but drivers may not see relief at the pump by the time they hit the road for the long weekend. -Bloomberg
However, even if the Whiting refinery were to be fully operational near-term, the impact has already been felt at the gas pumps in states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.
Data from the American Automobile Association shows prices at the pump jumped as much as 27 cents versus one week ago.
AAA data shows the national average for regular gasoline has held steady, hovering near the $3-per-gallon mark.
Fuel supplies across the Greater Midwest and Great Lakes region remain tight due to a plant-wide turnaround at Marathon Petroleum’s 100,000 bpd Canton, Ohio refinery. Maintenance at the refinery is expected through mid-next month. Midwest gasoline inventories sit below a five-year average, adding additional upward pressure to pump prices.
this is the “excuse” this time.. keep in mind, they really don’t need an excuse. they can just raise it when and however they like. the only way to get around the price is to pull a pistol on the clerk and make him turn the pumps on. Americans show no signs of “getting mad” and until we do, these outages fires floods explosions will just keep happening. here in Alabama we’ve been around 265 a gallon for quite awhile now. every day I expect to see it up 20 30 cents because I know it’s coming. I think they’ve figured out the “unrest” ceiling here is 5$. we have and will pay 479 489.. but when it goes to 519 for an extended period.. I think that’ll get “damage” happening. but that’s just me. I still gotta work.. so I reckon I’ll be paying it too.. unless they bring in the NG to “settle things down”.. then for me, all bets are off. I won’t be going through checkpoints and asking some sonofabitch punk kid permission to get gas.. or whatever. that’s my tipping point. sorry.. I didn’t mean to ramble.