For Star subscribers: A confluence of factors, including tight pipeline capacity and refinery shutdowns, have kept gas prices in Tucson and across Arizona higher than the nation.
David Wichner Gas prices have been headed down across the country in recent weeks, but they have barely budged in Arizona, where filling up will cost you more than $1 more per gallon than the national average.Industry analysts say a confluence of factors, including the annual shift to summer gas blends, tight pipeline capacity and refinery shutdowns, have contributed to Arizona’s stubbornly high gas prices of late.
The average gas price in the Old Pueblo on Thursday was $4.70 per gallon, down about 3 cents in a week but about 44 cents higher than the prior month. Capacity crimpIn Arizona, a combination of factors — some long-term, some short-term — have kept gas prices higher than the nation recently, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for the online gas-price tracking site GasBuddy.
That tight pipeline capacity only exacerbates problems when supplies are disrupted through things like refinery shutdowns. “That affected the supply of gas across the entire state, and especially for the Pima County area, but the state average has at least stabilized and isn't creeping higher for now,” Paredes said.
Compounding the problem is the fact that many refineries put off maintenance last year amid low pipeline capacity, making this year’s maintenance work more extensive, De Haan said. Tucson and the rest of the state are not subject to those requirements and so non-CBG may be sold there. “The complexity is that as the transition is starting, there are several different requirements in use across the state,” De Haan said, noting that the changeover to different formulas is generally done in steps.
Looking aheadDe Haan said Arizona could face similar supply issues next spring, though it’s somewhat unusual for two major refineries in the same region to be shut down for maintenance at the same time.
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