The average price for a gallon of regular surged past $6 in Los Angeles County Tuesday for the first time since mid-October after a rapid overnight climb.
The $6 mark was eclipsed after the price for a gallon of self-serve regular rose 11.2 cents to $6.027. The last time fuel prices passed $6 in LA County was Oct. 18.
The Los Angeles County average price has increased 53 times in 58 days. The steady increase has pushed the average price to 47 cents more than one week ago, 69.8 cents higher than one month ago and 59.3 cents above what it was one year ago.
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Prices dropped 46.7 cents since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5.
In Orange County, the average price rose 11 cents to $6.022, its first time over $6 since Oct. 16. The Orange County average price is 48.4 cents more than one week ago, 73.8 cents higher than one month ago and 63.3 cents above what it was one year ago. It has dropped 43.7 cents since rising to a record $6.459 on Oct. 5.
In Riverside County, Tuesday's average price was $5.847. San Bernardino County's average was $5.894. The Ventura County average was at $6.000.
Statewide, the average price is $5.760, up from $5.447 one year ago. The highest recorded average price in California was $6.438 in June 2022, according to AAA figures.
The increasing pump prices are the result of rising crude oil prices stemming from "oil supply cuts in Saudi Arabia and Russia, plus concerns over disruptions to oil exports from Libya following deadly flooding in that OPEC nation," Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager, told City News Service.
"Refinery issues in Southern California have led to lower inventory which is putting upward pressure on pump prices as well," Shupe said. "It is hopeful we will see relief as early as the end of this month when some gasoline cargoes are likely to end up on the West Coast. Also, we
will see additional relief when the cheaper, winter-blend fuel enters the marketplace at the end of October."
An 11-day streak of increases to the national average price totaling 7.8 cents ended when it dropped one-tenth of a cent to $3.88. It is 4.4 cents more than one week ago, 1.1 cents more than one month ago and 20.3 cents more than one year ago.
The national average price has dropped $1.136 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
