Issues at refineries push Florida gas prices higher

Some issues are fixed, others could take weeks

Northeast Florida drivers could soon see gas prices hit $3 a gallon as operational issues at seven Gulf Coast refineries have pushed Florida gas prices to the highest they've been in four years, according to AAA.

State gas prices quickly spiked last Wednesday and Thursday after reports of the issues surfaced. Some of the issues have already been fixed, while others could take weeks. 

For example, the largest refinery in the United States, Motiva Enterprises, dealt with a mechanical outage to one of its catalytic crackers (the most important component for converting oil to other fuels).

The outage is expected to cause limited output from the plant, and may not be resolved until August.

AAA said there is also a strong summer demand for gas and rising crude oil prices will continue to fuel higher prices.

On Sunday, the average price for regular gas across the country was $2.87; the state average was $2.80; the average in Jacksonville is $2.77

The highest average price on record for Florida was $4.07 in 2008.


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