They are up around 40 cents a gallon in the last 2 weeks in my area.

According to Marketwatch and CNN Business, the refineries often shut down for regularly scheduled maintenance late in the winter and early in the spring. Those shutdowns limit how much oil the refinery system can turn into gasoline, jet fuel and diesel.

What’s complicated matters this winter is there have been some unscheduled refinery outages.

Most notably, BP’s Whiting refinery in northwest Indiana has been shut down for weeks. That’s a big deal because this refinery is not just BP’s largest in the world, it’s the biggest in the Midwest. BP says Whiting can produce enough gasoline each day to support the average daily travel of 7 million cars.

It’s no coincidence then, that states in the Midwest have experienced the biggest price spikes.

https://money.com/why-gas-prices-on-rise-again/
On Sunday, several OPEC+ countries announced they were extending oil production cuts, which puts upward pressure on oil and gas prices.

Crude oil, which accounts for about 57% of what drivers pay for a gallon of gas, was trading at around $79 per a barrel on Monday, according to the West Texas Intermediate measure. The cost is up about 9% in the past month, and it's near the highest level since November. Seasonal trends play a factor in the rise and fall of gas prices too.

Historically, gas tends to be cheapest in the winter when driving activity is low and the country is using winter-grade gasoline. In the spring, demand for gas picks up as warmer weather arrives and prices are also impacted as refineries switch to the more expensive summer blend.

“We’re entering spring break season, and historically, March and April bring higher gas prices,” AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said in a recent report. “With milder temperatures come more road trips, and this time of year tends to be a precursor to the summer driving season.”

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a report that refinery maintenance usually peaks in March, “impacting how much gasoline can be produced as we make the changeover to the summer blends. This always crimps supply, leading to further gas price increases.”

On a more positive note, gas prices are lower than they were at this time in 2022 and 2023. In some states, the average is still below $3 per gallon, including Mississippi ($2.88), Colorado ($2.93) and Texas ($2.93), according to AAA.

Citing increased U.S. refinery capacity, the Energy Information Administration forecasts that gas prices will be lower overall in 2024, averaging $3.31 per gallon, compared to $3.52 last year.

That was one of the best SOTU speeches I have seen in the last 7 years. Even you must know that he kicked ass last night, although you would never admit it.

Trump could not have given a speech like that if his life 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒕. So much for the "Biden is old and decrepit and in mental decline" bullshit from you guys.

When he spoke of taxing the rich and big corporations because they should simply "pay their fair share" the Republican side sat there with their hands in their laps.

I bet you did, too, right PR?

That was one of the best SOTU speeches I have seen in the last 7 years. Even you must know that he kicked ass last night, although you would never admit it.

Trump could not have given a speech like that if his life 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒕. So much for the "Biden is old and decrepit and in mental decline" bullshit from you guys.

When he spoke of taxing the rich and big corporations because they should simply "pay their fair share" the Republican side sat there with their hands in their laps.

I bet you did, too, right PR?

I give Biden a B. he got a lot through Congress in the first two years. But his unwavering support of Israel despite their cruel treatment of people in Gaza was really bad We are now doing something, that is building a dock for humanitarian aid, should have been done two months ago. Biden hasn't made any effort in expanding the medical professions. We are really short of nurses and doctors. Nobody is talking about this. Also, the much touted drug caps only apply to 20 drugs and only pertain to people on Medicare. The last time I looked, the physician's desk reference was about a foot thick. This should be changed immediately and include every American.