Why Did Ohio Gas Prices Jump 29 Cents in a Day? A Key Refinery Unit Went Down
Drivers in Ohio and Michigan are paying sharply more at the pump this week after a breakdown at one of the Midwest’s largest refineries.
Ohio’s average price for regular gasoline rose to $4.37 a gallon Friday, up from $4.08 a day earlier, according to AAA. A week ago, the state average was $4.09.
Prices also rose in neighboring states. AAA’s state averages show Illinois at $4.81, Indiana at $3.98 and Wisconsin at $4.33. The national average stood at $4.29.
Michigan’s average climbed to $4.77 from $4.61 on Thursday and $4.55 a week ago, CBS Detroit reported, citing AAA.
A year ago, Michigan drivers were paying about $3.10, according to AAA data. The state’s record average is $5.22, set in June 2022.
Diesel prices remain elevated. AAA puts Michigan’s diesel average at $6.47 a gallon and Illinois’ at $6.62, both below records set in late September.
What Happened in Joliet
ExxonMobil took a 50,000-barrel-per-day catalytic reformer offline at its 275,000-barrel-per-day Joliet, Ill., refinery on Oct. 20, according to Wood Mackenzie, BOE Report reported. The firm said “decreased stack activity and elevated flaring began at that time.”
A catalytic reformer converts low-octane hydrocarbons into higher-octane blending components used to make gasoline.
“We’re working to resolve an operational issue. The safety of the community and our workforce remain our primary focus,” an ExxonMobil spokesperson told CBS News Chicago, without giving further details.
The Joliet plant can produce about 11 million gallons of gasoline and diesel a day, according to the company. It was also knocked offline for about two weeks in September by a power outage, BOE Report noted.
During that earlier shutdown, GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said the refinery accounts for “nearly 8% of the total refining capacity in the region,” WJOL reported.
Live price tracker GasBuddy showed even higher figures Thursday, with Michigan at $4.74 and Ohio at $4.34, Bloomberg reported. GasBuddy’s numbers differ slightly from AAA’s nightly averages.
The timing carries political weight. Both states have tight Senate races, and pump prices and the cost of living rank among top voter concerns with the Nov. 3 midterms less than two weeks away.
Democrats must hold their Michigan seat to have a path to a Senate majority, while Republicans view Ohio as crucial to keeping control, Bloomberg noted.
The refinery problem adds to pressure from a tight global fuel market, where the Middle East conflict and Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have squeezed supplies.
In the Chicago area, AAA put the average this week at $4.82 a gallon, CBS Chicago reported. ExxonMobil has not said when the reformer will return to service.
President Donald Trump said at an Iowa rally Thursday that his administration is using the Defense Production Act to release $150 million to expand U.S. refining capacity for gasoline and diesel, the Washington Examiner reported.
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