‘It’s Insane!’ Californians Fume Over $6 Gas In Scathing MS NOW Segment

MS NOW reporter Laura Haefeli presented a segment on the network on Friday that highlighted just how desperate California’s gas and oil situation has become.

Haefeli joined anchor Ana Cabrera and presented interviews with both Californians facing what is an average gas price of $6.16 (almost $2 above the national average), as well as a Chevron official who said he’s never faced a situation like the current one.

Gas prices have shot up over the last months amid the Iran war, but Haefeli reported California has found itself in a particularly tricky spot as they face “the worst supply crisis” in the country.

Haefeli reported:

Not only are gas prices going up, but the real serious issue right now in California is supply. We were inside of the Chevron refinery here in El Segundo, California, just over my shoulder here. And what they’re dealing with is a lack of access. This refinery is crucial to California. It’s the biggest Chevron refinery on the west coast, and they’re having some serious problems. Take a look. For decades, tankers made their way between the Middle East and California’s coast. But as of this week, no more are coming.

Chevron El Segundo refinery director Bryon Stock said he’s never seen anything like the current supply situation in his nearly-30 year career.

“It made me pause. I think it gave me pause for a moment because that’s a significant milestone that I’ve not seen or faced in my 27 year career,” he said.

“Californians could soon face the worst supply crisis in the U.S., and at Chevron’s Southern California refinery, we saw it for ourselves,” Haefeli added.

California imports roughly 60% of its crude oil from overseas, 20% of that coming from the Middle East. The state’s geography prevents it from using pipelines that other states use, and further complicating things is the Jones Act, a law that requires ships moving oil between U.S. ports to be American-owned, crewed, and built. There is a current waiver on the law from the Trump administration.

Californians facing prices ticking up again and again at the pump also spoke to Haefeli, calling current prices “insane.”

“It’s getting crazy. It’s insane,” one woman said. “I don’t even get full tanks anymore.”

“With the economy and spending and groceries and gas and all these things, it definitely weighs heavy,” another resident said. “It’s supply and demand at this point, but it’s just unfortunate that we’re even in this position to begin with.”

Haefeli noted there is no real practical shortcut for California out of the current supply crisis, even if the war were to immediately end.

She said:

Even if the war ends now, the next reliable oil shipment could be months away. Ana, Chevron tells me one average supertanker of oil lasts them just one week, which was manageable but now with less supply that is going to become a real issue. You talked about long-term impact, gas prices are going to continue to go up as oil barrel prices fluctuate. And what this really comes down to, through my reporting I realized, is politics and the position that it’s put Californians in to really be unprepared for this moment.

Watch above via MS NOW.

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