Why Are Washington Gas Prices Rising?
Why are gas prices spiking earlier than usual in WA, and places across the country?
While spring and summer gas price hikes are expected due to spring maintenance and temporary shutdowns of some refineries, some refineries also say it’s because of the government’s refusal to open up more exploration plus Obama torpedoing the Keystone Pipeline — a refinery fire is also blamed.
Officials say a fire at a refinery in Blaine, Washington, recently forced a shutdown of the facility. It’s a major supplier of not only jet fuel, but gasoline for much of the U.S. Petroleum experts say it has produced much of the ripple we have seen, where prices rose as much as 10-to-20 cents almost overnight. No word was given as to when the refinery might be back online.
Experts say Mid Columbians might see gas in the mid $4-per-gallon range, but we should be spared the $5-a-gallon prices (or higher) found in other parts of the nation.