‘I think the problem could get a little worse before it gets better.’ Sonoma, Napa County gas prices reach over $5 a gallon

Gas prices are on the rise again as the summer travel season quickly approaches. Experts cite global events and unexpected refinery maintenance as the latest culprits behind the recent increases, with the statewide average reaching well over $5 a gallon.

The statewide average on Wednesday was at $5.45 a gallon, whereas a year ago the average was only $4.89, data from AAA shows. Nationally, gas is averaging at $3.66 a gallon.

In the North Bay, Sonoma County is seeing averages of $5.71 per gallon while Napa is reaching $5.77 a gallon, the highest in the region, according to the same AAA data.

Santa Rosa gas prices, as of April 16, were at $5.67 a gallon and Napa at $5.70 per gallon, according to data from petroleum analysis website GasBuddy. The Vallejo-Fairfield area saw prices sit at $5.56 per gallon.

Unfortunately, more price increases could be on the way, GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan said Tuesday, adding that the prices aren’t due to drop.

“It’s been a rough couple of weeks,” he said Tuesday. “I think the problem could get a little worse before it gets any better.”

Multiple refineries such as Chevron stations in El Segundo and Richmond along with the PBF Energy refinery in Martinez are undergoing maintenance which has caused prices to go up, De Haan said.

Supplies have also fallen almost 27% since the week ending March 15, De Haan said, adding the state had just under 7 million barrels of reformulated gas at that time . Now the state is down to approximately 5 million barrels.

“These refineries are critical to reversing that decline in gasoline supplies,” De Haan said. “But with those refineries down for maintenance, they’re not going to be able to contribute to reversing the trend so that’s why we’ve been seeing prices escalate.”

It’s not uncommon for refineries to undergo periods of scheduled maintenance to prepare for the summer travel season. Those periods usually wrap up by April or May, leading to prices peaking around that time.

However, many California refineries had to be taken offline for unplanned maintenance which greatly impacts the supply, AAA Northern California spokesman John Treanor said.

The price of crude oil is also up, Treanor said, at around $85 a barrel compared to mid-March when prices were around $80 a barrel.

Crude oil price has been impacted by global news in the last few months from recent strikes by Ukraine on Russian refineries and by unrest in the Middle East that has escalated after Iran launched an attack on Israel.

“Most of the oil purchased by California oil refineries comes from the Middle East so those prices can really be impacted,” Treanor said. “After the refineries are done with their maintenance, we should start seeing prices level out.”

You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.