My sister emailed this to me:
Gas Prices in California Rise for Labor Day Weekend as Supply Dwindles Source: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Publication date: 2000-09-02
Sep. 2--With refinery shutdowns once again getting the blame, gasoline and diesel prices have soared, sending diesel over $2 per gallon at some stations this Labor Day weekend. Prices for unleaded regular, below $1.60 a week ago at some area stations, have risen significantly since then -- to $1.80 at the HCD Arco on Golden State Boulevard in Turlock and $1.89 at the USA on Oakdale Road in Modesto.
And diesel prices have climbed 50 cents over the past month, causing truckers to tack surcharges on to their freight fees.
"The latest hikes are attributed to heavy summer demand and refinery problems," said Dick Vine of E.R. Vine Distributing in Ceres. "But there's no quick answer."
The supply problems, he said, are caused in part because the refineries struggle to meet the demand when they are operating at capacity, let alone when some of them are down.
Daniel Lancaster, dispatcher at CL Bryant Distributing in Modesto, said two Tosco refineries were down at the same time Arco, Shell and Texaco plants had problems.
As a consequence, the diesel supply tanks that local distributors d raw from in Sacramento, Stockton, Chico and Fresno went empty for three straight days last month. And a distribution point in Richmond -- home to many refineries -- was empty for a day.
"Even though one of Tosco's is back on line, it still takes about two weeks (to begin producing)," Lancaster said.
The West Coast average for diesel climbed to $1.77 Friday, and California averages $1.85, said John Casey, head dispatcher for Clawson Trucking Co. in Ceres. The national average is $1.54, he said.
The increases, he said, will add $24.12 cents to the cost of a trip from Ceres to Phoenix.
Gas Prices in California Rise for Labor Day Weekend as Supply Dwindles Source: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Publication date: 2000-09-02
Sep. 2--With refinery shutdowns once again getting the blame, gasoline and diesel prices have soared, sending diesel over $2 per gallon at some stations this Labor Day weekend. Prices for unleaded regular, below $1.60 a week ago at some area stations, have risen significantly since then -- to $1.80 at the HCD Arco on Golden State Boulevard in Turlock and $1.89 at the USA on Oakdale Road in Modesto.
And diesel prices have climbed 50 cents over the past month, causing truckers to tack surcharges on to their freight fees.
"The latest hikes are attributed to heavy summer demand and refinery problems," said Dick Vine of E.R. Vine Distributing in Ceres. "But there's no quick answer."
The supply problems, he said, are caused in part because the refineries struggle to meet the demand when they are operating at capacity, let alone when some of them are down.
Daniel Lancaster, dispatcher at CL Bryant Distributing in Modesto, said two Tosco refineries were down at the same time Arco, Shell and Texaco plants had problems.
As a consequence, the diesel supply tanks that local distributors d raw from in Sacramento, Stockton, Chico and Fresno went empty for three straight days last month. And a distribution point in Richmond -- home to many refineries -- was empty for a day.
"Even though one of Tosco's is back on line, it still takes about two weeks (to begin producing)," Lancaster said.
The West Coast average for diesel climbed to $1.77 Friday, and California averages $1.85, said John Casey, head dispatcher for Clawson Trucking Co. in Ceres. The national average is $1.54, he said.
The increases, he said, will add $24.12 cents to the cost of a trip from Ceres to Phoenix.