Some parts of the country could see sharper increases in gas prices after the ExxonMobil refinery in Joliet, Illinois, suffered a total power outage earlier this week. The facility, which usually processes about 275,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was forced to shut down on Monday. Generally, Joliet accounts for roughly 6 percent of Midwest refining capacity, making it one of the region's most important fuel suppliers.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, issued a warning for residents in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin on Tuesday. Michigan may miss it as it already saw a jump yesterday,” De Haan wrote on X. Nationwide, average gasoline prices have been climbing.
GasBuddy reported that the average U.S. gasoline price rose 17.2 cents over the previous week to $4.25 per gallon as of Monday. Gas prices affect millions of Americans' daily budgets and can influence both travel plans and household spending. Regional spikes can also be especially significant because fuel markets are highly dependent on local refinery operations and their fuel supply chains.
According to GasBuddy, gasoline prices have been rising across the country due to a surge in oil prices. The company said oil topped $100 per barrel and that gas prices increased in every state over the last week. Diesel prices could climb even faster in the wake of the new refinery attacks.” Recent market data also shows some of the largest monthly increases occurring in parts of the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West.
Oregon's average gasoline price increased 7.2 percent between early August and early September, while Washington recorded a 6.9 percent increase and Idaho saw a 6.1 percent rise, according to Choose Energy’s data center. Those states already rank among the most expensive places to buy gasoline. As of early September, California had the nation's highest average gasoline price at $5.81 per gallon, followed by Washington at $5.48, Hawaii at $5.42 and Oregon at $5.00.
Historically, the Great Lakes region has been especially vulnerable to sudden price movements due to refinery problems, experts say. Gasoline prices can vary widely by region. While drivers in Indiana, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma continue to pay some of the lowest prices in the country, those on the West Coast are already facing substantially higher costs.
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