Fact #890: September 14, 2015 Gasoline Prices Are Affected by Changes in Refinery Output

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Most of the nation has enjoyed average gasoline prices below $3.00 per gallon since the beginning of 2015. California and the rest of the West Coast, however, have experienced higher gasoline prices than the rest of the nation. Although gasoline price changes are caused by a myriad of factors, the likely cause for the high West Coast prices is an explosion and fire at a California refinery in February of 2015. The sudden decrease in refinery output resulted in tight supplies on the West Coast. In addition, few refineries outside of California are equipped to produce the gasoline formulation that can be sold in California, which is different than the rest of the nation due to State regulations.

Weekly Average of Gasoline Prices, October 2014-July 2015

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Notes:
Weekly average prices of all formulations of gasoline.
West Coast includes the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Alaska.
New England includes the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Central Atlantic includes the states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
Lower Atlantic includes the states of West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Midwest includes the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Gulf Coast includes the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico.
Rocky Mountain includes the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.

Fact #890 Dataset

Supporting Information

Weekly Average of Gasoline Prices, October 2014-July 2015
Week of:New EnglandCentral
Atlantic
Lower
Atlantic
MidwestGulf
Coast
Rocky
Mountain
West
Coast
California
Jan 06, 20143.6333.6263.4453.2783.23.1753.6023.714
Jan 13, 20143.6103.5973.4213.3093.1853.2033.5813.683
Jan 20, 20143.5753.5603.4163.2553.1813.2003.5473.638
Jan 27, 20143.5513.5513.4063.2723.1713.1893.5413.630
Feb 03, 20143.5343.5373.3873.2893.1623.1793.5483.639
Feb 10, 20143.5383.5313.3713.3393.1633.1923.5733.675
Feb 17, 20143.5723.6013.4283.4133.2573.2943.6293.747
Feb 24, 20143.6243.6423.4883.4933.2873.3783.7093.844
Mar 03, 20143.6443.6643.4853.5503.3033.4453.7663.904
Mar 10, 20143.6663.6863.4993.5893.3283.4913.8113.946
Mar 17, 20143.6783.6833.5543.6273.3583.5103.8684.007
Mar 24, 20143.6733.6793.5713.6043.3953.5123.8804.019
Mar 31, 20143.6773.6763.6303.6413.4183.5053.9094.045
Apr 07, 20143.6763.6873.6723.6323.4693.5003.9384.077
Apr 14, 20143.7083.7033.7103.6873.5483.4904.0374.206
Apr 21, 20143.7543.7623.7603.6953.5683.4994.0864.254
Apr 28, 20143.8223.8363.7723.7173.5683.5384.1314.302
May 05, 20143.8193.8333.7653.6503.5433.5594.1124.271
May 12, 20143.8093.8223.7403.6533.5153.5704.0794.218
May 19, 20143.7983.8033.7233.6673.5173.5664.0724.208
May 26, 20143.7963.8073.7123.7083.5123.5634.0614.184
Jun 02, 20143.7933.8003.6953.7713.5173.5634.0624.176
Jun 09, 20143.7923.7983.6743.7473.4953.5684.054.155
Jun 16, 20143.8113.8023.6763.7693.5053.5904.0544.151
Jun 23, 20143.8313.8313.7043.7483.5713.6654.0664.151
Jun 30, 20143.8403.8443.7113.7243.5603.6894.0904.180
Jul 07, 20143.8463.8343.6823.6693.5393.7024.0914.177
Jul 14, 20143.8283.8013.6533.5933.5173.7044.0544.138
Jul 21, 20143.7943.7633.6083.5523.4703.6994.0104.083
Jul 28, 20143.7703.7133.5623.4643.4293.7043.9764.041
Aug 04, 20143.7273.6723.5283.4733.3853.7013.9454.000
Aug 11, 20143.6873.6353.4943.5083.3513.7113.9223.974
Aug 18, 20143.6613.5923.4683.4513.3433.7163.8973.946
Aug 25, 20143.6283.5573.4393.4563.3193.7083.8773.925
Sep 01, 20143.6273.5523.4563.4933.2963.6963.8483.891
Sep 08, 20143.6263.5573.4483.4993.3023.6823.8253.863
Sep 15, 20143.6083.5333.4103.4163.2533.6503.7923.833
Sep 22, 20143.5683.4943.3853.3343.2093.6003.7353.775
Sep 29, 20143.5473.4823.3883.3593.2383.5523.6973.741
Oct 06, 20143.4983.4503.3783.2573.1933.4913.6633.714
Oct 13, 20143.4433.3943.2813.1443.0933.4033.5903.647
Oct 20, 20143.3473.3183.1693.0892.9993.3143.4783.538
Oct 27, 20143.2863.2443.0693.0752.9173.2603.3793.440
Nov 03, 20143.2143.1943.0103.0202.8573.2053.2913.348
Nov 10, 20143.1533.1342.9792.9662.8113.1383.2223.266
Nov 17, 20143.1073.1022.9382.9182.7613.0733.1673.200
Nov 24, 20143.0583.0652.8712.8252.6832.9963.1013.122
Dec 01, 20143.0383.0382.8302.7782.6212.9223.0703.097
Dec 08, 20142.9502.9572.7482.652.5292.8042.9933.028
Dec 15, 20142.8452.8492.6562.4792.4182.6522.8872.928
Dec 22, 20142.7322.7532.5312.2882.2652.4532.7532.800
Dec 29, 20142.6492.6762.4412.1512.1632.2962.6712.728
Jan 05, 20152.5502.5942.3642.0382.0822.1822.6382.721
Jan 12, 20152.4462.4772.2682.0182.0002.0512.5472.643
Jan 19, 20152.3202.3782.1841.9841.9331.9722.4382.532
Jan 26, 20152.2642.3042.1462.0011.9391.9342.3872.489
Feb 02, 20152.2422.2892.1272.0931.9491.9292.3862.491
Feb 09, 20152.2902.3812.2502.2312.0702.0082.5332.676
Feb 16, 20152.3402.4242.3292.3022.1602.0552.6812.847
Feb 23, 20152.3852.4762.3752.3362.1952.1012.8193.009
Mar 02, 20152.4802.5572.4552.4402.3012.1843.1943.468
Mar 09, 20152.5452.6102.4642.4002.3132.2963.2453.489
Mar 16, 20152.5242.5902.4462.3442.3062.3553.1813.410
Mar 23, 20152.4742.5492.4162.4512.2752.3723.1083.316
Mar 30, 20152.4502.5292.4602.4402.2732.3833.0613.258
Apr 06, 20152.4432.5222.4302.3752.2712.3893.0173.200
Apr 13, 20152.4352.5282.4362.3672.2752.4212.9833.153
Apr 20, 20152.5662.6332.4892.4632.3282.4983.0283.207
Apr 27, 20152.6442.7062.5632.5062.3912.553.2443.483
May 04, 20152.7172.7742.6122.5652.4682.6393.4833.764
May 11, 20152.7412.8122.6402.5732.5222.7103.5083.781
May 18, 20152.7562.8152.6712.6642.5522.7643.5783.859
May 25, 20152.7982.8392.7162.7212.5722.8053.5533.811
Jun 01, 20152.8002.8462.7232.7622.5672.8143.5063.743
Jun 08, 20152.8202.8572.7482.7452.6232.8323.4413.643
Jun 15, 20152.8642.9082.8022.8622.6782.8603.3963.562
Jun 22, 20152.8832.8922.7842.8112.6622.8643.3893.531
Jun 29, 20152.8762.9092.7702.8062.6312.8673.3683.502
Jul 06, 20152.8622.9062.7582.8052.6102.8823.3573.484
Jul 13, 20152.8562.8952.7472.7912.6172.8893.6603.939
Jul 20, 20152.8252.8542.7112.7382.5772.9113.6743.954
Jul 27, 20152.7982.8122.6712.6492.5302.9253.6153.869
Aug 03, 20152.7472.7852.6152.5842.4852.8973.5493.781

Source: Energy Information Administration, Weekly Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices, accessed August 14, 2015.

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