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Minnesota gas prices bust through $4 level
MPR News ^ | 5/14/13 | Bob Collins

Posted on 05/15/2013 7:43:39 PM PDT by Sopater

The price of a gallon of gasoline hit a shocking level overnight. In the Twin Cities, several chain gas stations -- mostly in the outer ring -- raised their prices to between $4.09 and $4.19 a gallon. That's about 20 cents more overnight, 60 cents in the last two weeks, and $1.20 since January. At many stations, prices rose into the $4 range yesterday afternoon, then fell overnight into the $3.90 area.

What's going on here?

(Excerpt) Read more at minnesota.publicradio.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: economy; energy; gas; gasoline; oil
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To: Sopater

I’ve been paying that for over a year as well in Chicago suburbs. boutique fuels.


21 posted on 05/15/2013 8:36:59 PM PDT by Brasky
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To: Inyo-Mono
"What's going on here?"

Memorial Day.

22 posted on 05/15/2013 8:42:35 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: DManA

This story says the refineries are in Chicago:

Refinery repairs lead to soaring Minnesota gas prices
The closure of two Chicago-area refineries for repairs is driving gas prices toward record levels across the Upper Midwest.

By: News Tribune staff, Duluth News Tribune

Gas prices in the Twin Ports reached $4.19 a gallon Wednesday at some stations including this one on London Road. The record high average gas price recorded by AAA in Duluth was at $4.05 on July 14, 2008. The average price is expected to exceed that level today. Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com

The closure of two Chicago-area refineries for repairs is driving gas prices toward record levels across the Upper Midwest.

And with the refineries scheduled to be closed for weeks, prices will remain high for some time.

“It’s going to be a very expensive summer in the Upper Midwest,” AAA Minnesota/Iowa spokeswoman Gail Winholzer said.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Minnesota was $3.85 Wednesday morning. By early afternoon, most locations were reporting prices “north of $4 a gallon,” Winholzer said.

In Duluth, gas hit $4.19 a gallon at several stations by midafternoon. The highest price in Minnesota was $4.29 at more than one location in the Twin Cities area, according to MinnesotaGasPrices.com.

The all-time, record-high average price for a gallon of gas statewide in Minnesota was $3.98 on July 16, 2008. Duluth hit its record-high average of $4.05 two days earlier.

“We will pass those numbers tomorrow,” Winholzer said Wednesday.

The average Duluth price was $3.45 a month ago, $3.71 a week ago, and $3.89 on Tuesday, according to the AAA. By Wednesday afternoon the average reached $3.91.

A year ago the average price was $3.64 both in Duluth and statewide.

Gas prices typically climb in the spring and fall, when refineries switch blends and often close for maintenance.

“Unfortunately, two of the nation’s largest refineries, both in the Chicago area, decided to close at the same time,” Winholzer said.

The refineries — one owned by BP, the other by Exxon Mobile — expect to be closed for at least six weeks.

“It may be mid-Jun


23 posted on 05/15/2013 8:51:48 PM PDT by DManA
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To: Blood of Tyrants

$3.09 here in SW South Dakota; 5 cent discount if cash or check instead of plastic; another bonus 5 cent cash discount on Wednesdays. Two weeks ago, paid $2.89 in Rapid City.

Not worth driving 60 miles each way just for it, but when we do go, I dry-tank up, then fill up & also fill the cans for the tractor, garden tractor, and tiller.

Price has been pretty stable for the last 3 weeks.


24 posted on 05/15/2013 8:54:18 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: Sopater
Regular was $3.43/gal two days ago. It is now $3.55/gal in Pocatello, ID.
25 posted on 05/15/2013 9:11:47 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Sopater
There's a reason why I drive this:

This is a picture of my 2012 Honda Fit shortly after I bought my car in December 2011. I get about 39 mpg on the freeway.

26 posted on 05/15/2013 9:21:32 PM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: Inyo-Mono

The manager for the gas station I work near said they paid 3.85 a gallon for a tank load this morning and prices were going up to 4.00+ later in the day.


27 posted on 05/15/2013 9:27:42 PM PDT by miliantnutcase
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To: Sopater

Cheaper here

3.05


28 posted on 05/15/2013 9:39:06 PM PDT by wardaddy (wanna know how my kin felt during Reconstruction in Mississippi, you fixin to find out firsthand)
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To: RayChuang88
I get 34 with this. 19000mi since labor day. Comfortable and quick. Earned me a NC "safe driving" award today. :^)


29 posted on 05/15/2013 10:32:39 PM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storm chaser from the west)/ ?s)
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Why is this even in the news? It’s not like the president has an R after his name.


30 posted on 05/15/2013 10:35:28 PM PDT by dsrtsage (One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%)
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To: dsrtsage

I was just touting my first “safe driver” award in NC.

After putting in 117hrs in two weeks, I now can focus on why this isn’t news or why there is or is not an “R” after a Presidents name.

:^)


31 posted on 05/15/2013 10:48:16 PM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storm chaser from the west)/ ?s)
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To: Sopater

Sure, but Steve and Andy can get married now so that’s all that matters.


32 posted on 05/16/2013 4:47:40 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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To: Sopater

In 1999 I paid $.99/gal in Rockville, MD. Sigh. Why voters don’t demand cheaper energy, let alone a national energy policy is beyond me. So foolish.


33 posted on 05/16/2013 4:50:20 AM PDT by Vision (We are not descended from fearful men)
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To: Vision

Central Wisconsin prices on Tuesday were $3.69, two days later they are now $3.82. Guess I’ll have to wait until later today to see what the next “jump” will bring.


34 posted on 05/16/2013 4:54:52 AM PDT by DaveA37 (I'm for HONEST government)
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To: Progov

As the dumodummies say, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. Right now they have soooooo many crisises on their hands, why not sneak the gas price higher to get more of that badly needed tax money?

What ever happened to the Keystone pipeline? Time to start once more pushing hard to get that done.


35 posted on 05/16/2013 4:58:28 AM PDT by DaveA37 (I'm for HONEST government)
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To: Sopater

Travel experts say the same storms that slammed western Wisconsin and Minnesota also hit refineries to the south, causing unscheduled problems.

“So what that did was just lowered the amount of fuel in the Midwest, causing the Midwest, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois all those states to go up in price,” said Brent Dabler, AAA agent. “While the rest of the United States, were going down in price.”

In fact, most of the country is seeing better than average prices.

“This week and in the whole month of April as well, were the lowest prices in over three years,” said Dabler.

Experts say they expect prices to drop back down by the start of the summer travel season.

http://www.waow.com/story/22213109/2013/05/09/gas-prices-jump-across-the-midwest
May 09, 2013

- - - - - - -

Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) shut all operating units at the 238,000-barrel-a-day Joliet refinery on April 14 for several weeks of planned work. BP Plc (BP/) idled an alkylation unit at its Toledo, Ohio, plant for planned repairs, while crews at the Whiting, Indiana, refinery are replacing equipment. The two plants make up a combined capacity of 580,000 barrels a day.

CVR Energy Inc. (CVI)’s Wynnewood site in Oklahoma is operating at reduced rates after an unexpected malfunction in late April.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-09/midwest-gas-soars-to-5-month-high-as-stockpiles-tumble.html
May 9, 2013


36 posted on 05/16/2013 5:04:37 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Demand is low and supplies are high. Price gouging. Now here come the free market Nazis to tell me how wrong I am.

Cheap here in Virginia. Our extra supplies will get trucked out there to lower your prices. Oops, no wait, that can't happen. Your prices will keep going up to infinity.

37 posted on 05/16/2013 5:09:22 AM PDT by palmer (Obama = Carter + affirmative action)
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To: Progov

$3.85 in La Crosse. And rising.


38 posted on 05/16/2013 5:30:20 AM PDT by reformedliberal
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To: palmer; Blood of Tyrants
Minnesota adds to their own problem with additional ethanol requirements for all the fuel in the state. It makes it more difficult to bring fuel from other locations.


39 posted on 05/16/2013 5:39:45 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Myrddin

I do miss Idaho... and Wyoming.


40 posted on 05/16/2013 6:34:44 AM PDT by Sopater (Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? - Matthew 20:15a)
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