With Labor Day in the rear window, gas prices normally start dropping at this time of year but a local refinery getting knocked offline means drivers won’t get relief now.
A power outage at Exxon Mobil’s Joliet refinery on Sunday for about four hours will take a while to return to normal output levels, according to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for Gas Buddy
He says this comes at a bad time because other refineries often do maintenance work now and there’s the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as strife in the Middle East and Europe.
De Haan says prices have already started moving up and the pain will go beyond the Chicago area to much of the Midwest.
However, the switch this week to a winter blend and a decline in driving should help mitigate price hikes.
