Energy

Southern California Drivers Could See Spike In Gasoline Prices Soon

February 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="article__content"> <p>Despite recent slides in gasoline prices, Southern California drivers could be facing sticker shock at the pumps beginning this weekend after the state’s biggest oil refiners raised wholesale prices charged to gas station owners by 37 cents, warns nonprofit group <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/search/results?q=Consumer%20Watchdog">Consumer Watchdog</a></p>

Gas Prices Getting Higher Again

February 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div> <p>Gas prices are inching higher in the Bay Area, but just be thankful you don’t have to fill-up in Southern California where prices could jump 37 cents a gallon this weekend.</p> <p>The Consumer Watchdog group said Thursday that the switch to the state’s more expensive summer blend of fuel triggered the increase.</p> <p>But the impact will not be as severe in Northern California. Maybe a dime or 20 cents.</p>

Fill Up Now! Gas Prices Near Palm Desert Could Skyrocket by Weekend

February 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>According to the warning by a consumer advocate group, a return to the $3-range is imminent.</strong></p> <p>Gas prices are about to soar dramatically, possibly increasing by 30 cents a gallon by the weekend, consumer advocates and an industry expert said Thursday.</p> <p>The increases are tied to the forthcoming switch to summer-blend gasoline, which is designed to reduce pollution in warmer weather and costs more to produce. Wholesale prices jumped 51 or 52 cents a gallon this week because of the summer-blend issue, they said.</p>

Didn’t Gas Prices Just Go Down? Expect Hike Soon

February 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="js-pagination" data-maxpages="1"> <div class="story__content__body p402_premium story__content__body "> <p>SAN DIEGO - If you were enjoying the recent low gas prices across California, brace yourself because you will start paying more again.</p> <p>The nonprofit group <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/consumer-watchdog-tells-so-cal-drivers-fill-now-gas-prices-rise-quickly-major-refiners-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Watchdog</a> warned Souther California drivers on Thursday that they would be facing sticker shock at the gas pumps beginning this weekend.</p>

Gas Prices Expected To Jump 30 Cent Throughout California In March

February 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div>The hike starts this weekend in Southern California, but the effects will spread to Northern California soon.</div> <div> </div> <div>Caroline Martin typically spent 75 bucks to fill up her SUV.  "That's a big fortune especially if you're on a budget," said Martin.</div> <div> </div> <div>Consumer Watchdog said we're in for a big change.</div> <div> </div> <div>"We're warning all California drivers to fuel up as soon as possible," said Consumer Watchdog president Jaime Court.</div> <div> </div>

California Gas Prices Expected To Jump Overnight, Possibly 30 Cents By Weekend

February 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The slide in California’s gasoline prices could abruptly end Friday, with prices possibly jumping 30 cents a gallon due to seasonal changes in the state’s refinery operations, a consumer advocacy group predicted Thursday.</p> <p>“The move marks an end to fire-sale prices on remaining winter stocks” of gasoline, Consumer Watchdog said.</p> <p>Prices often climb in California this time of year because refineries switch from the winter blend of fuel to the more expensive summer blend required in the state.</p>

Gas Price Gouging Indications Grow Stronger

February 22, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div> <p>As corporate profit reports rolled in this winter from the gasoline refining industry, the case for gas price gouging grew steadily stronger.</p> <p>Start with the profits of the largest refiners operating in California. Then proceed to strange activities by an oil tanker, Exxon Mobil’s SR American Progress. Close with hard figures provided by the state Energy Commission’s senior fuels specialist during a mid-February hearing. Look also at the almost 80-cent price differential between gasoline here and the average price everywhere else in the continental U.S.</p>

Gas Falls Under $2 In State

February 11, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div> <p>California drivers are finally cheering instead of hissing the price of gas, as dozens of Northern California stations are selling fuel for under $2 a gallon -- the first time prices have dropped this low in eight years.</p> </div> <div> <p>"It's about time," Ivan Rodriguez, of San Jose, said, smiling, as he lined up at the Gas & Shop at 1590 McKee Road to fill his beige Ford Focus at $1.97 per gallon on Wednesday. Cars were three deep waiting for open pumps.</p> </div> <div> <p>"Right now," a harried cashier said, "we're busy."</p>

Consumer Watchdog: Mystery Tanker Helped Drive Up Gas Prices in CA

February 10, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A consumer advocate says California paid $10 billion dollars more for gas than the rest of the country partly because of the movements of a “mystery tanker.” Consumer Watchdog’s Jamie Court says his organization tracked the Exxon oil tanker “American Progress” along with other ships and made didn’t like what they found.</p>

Mysterious Ship Helped Keep California Gas Prices High, Consumer Advocate Says

February 9, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>There's an unusual new entry to the long list of reasons why Californians spent the last year paying significantly more for gasoline than other U.S. drivers: a mystery ship.</p> <p>The explosion at Exxon Mobil's huge Torrance refinery a year ago undoubtedly was a major factor contributing to high gasoline prices in California, especially in the Los Angeles area, fuel experts have said.</p>

Why A Consumer Group Thinks Oil Companies Worked Together To Inflate Gas Prices

February 9, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-11513" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/images_gaspricescavsusa.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 264px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="455" height="400" />Collusion among California oil refiners “artificially inflated” pump prices in a move that enabled oil companies to make a “killing” in the wake of an <a href="http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-news/20160113/feds-botched-safety-reviews-contributed-to-exxonmobil-refinery-explosion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explosion last winter at ExxonMobil’s Torrance refinery,</a> nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog al

Did Exxon Hide Oil Tanker Overseas to Drive Up Gas Prices?

February 9, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><script type="text/javascript" charset="UTF-8" src="http://www.nbcsandiego.com/portableplayer/?cmsID=368251221&videoID=MyVO4Ea52joo&origin=nbcsandiego.com&sec=news&subsec=local&width=600&height=360"></script></p> <p><strong>Keeping supply low and driving up prices</strong></p> <p>California drivers pay more to fill their gas tank than drivers across the country, but Consumer Watchdog says that's because big oil companies manipulate the fuel supply.</p>