LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose Friday for the ninth consecutive day, increasing 1.4 cents to $4.866.
The average price has increased 24.3 cents over the past nine days, including 2.8 cents Thursday and 7.7 cents last Friday, its largest increase since Sept. 28, 2023, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.
“The Phillips 66 refinery in Los Angeles is closing at the end of this year and stopped processing crude oil in mid-October, and that loss of capacity along with some planned and unplanned refinery maintenance caused some supply concerns,” Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager, said in a statement released Thursday.
“Usually when gas prices spike, Southern California receives additional imported supplies from Asia and Canada to make up the shortfall. Prices should reverse course and head downward once that happens.”
The average price is 15.8 cents more than one week ago, 13.6 cents higher than one month ago and 35.5 cents greater than one year ago. It has decreased $1.627 since rising to a record $6.493 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The Orange County average price also rose for the ninth consecutive day, increasing 2.2 cents to $4.831. It has risen 26.3 cents over the past nine days, including 2.6 cents Thursday and 8.9 cents last Friday, its largest increase since Sept. 28, 2023.
The Orange County average price is 15.9 cents more than one week ago, 13 cents higher than one month ago and 42.7 cents greater than one year ago. It has decreased $1.627 since rising to a record $6.458 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The national average price dropped four-tenths of a cent to $3.08 after three consecutive increases totaling 4.8 cents, including a half-cent Thursday. It is 4 cents more than one week ago but 4.1 cents less than one month ago and 2.6 cents lower than one year ago.
The national average price has dropped $1.936 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
