Southland Gas Prices Spike After Problems at BP Refinery

Say goodbye to the summer’s cheap gas. Problems at the BP Refinery in Whiting, IN, are poised to send the cost per gallon of unleaded regular spiking over the next several weeks, just in time for you to drive your kids back to college.

As of Thursday, some Chicago-area residents were starting to see an upward trend in gas prices. Prices spiked from about $2.69 in south suburban Lemont to $3.49 for a gallon of regular unleaded in Palos Hills, according to GasBuddy.com.

The going rate for gas in other south suburban Patch towns as of Thursday, Aug. 13 were:

• Chicago Heights: $2.75 (lowest); $2.89 (highest)
• Homewood: $3.09 (lowest); $3.19 (highest)
• Frankfort: $3.19 (lowest); $3.39 (highest)
• New Lenox: $3.18 (lowest); $3.39 (highest)
• Mokena: $3.28 (lowest); $3.39 (highest)
• Tinley Park: $3.19 (lowest); $3.39 (highest)
• Orland Park: $3.09 (lowest); $3.19 (highest)
• Oak Forest: $2.99 (lowest); $3.19 (highest)
• Palos Heights: $2.74 (lowest); $3.29 (highest)
• Palos Hills: $3.14 (lowest); $3.49 (highest)
• Palos Park: $2.74 (lowest); $3.29 (highest)
• Oak Lawn: $3.16 (lowest); $3.19 (highest)
• Evergreen Park: $3.19 (lowest); same
• Lemont: $2.69 (lowest); $3.19 (highest)

Also, Thursday’s gas prices in Chicago’s Beverly, Mt. Greenwood and Morgan Park neighborhoods were:

• 60643: $2.99 (lowest); $3.39 (highest)
• 60655: $3.29; ---

The average gas cost for Chicago clocked in at $3.19 per gallon of regular unleaded; statewide the lowest reported cost was $2.22 in Monmouth, IL.

BP U.S. issued a statement saying that the company’s Whiting refinery shut down the largest of its three crude distillation units on Aug. 8 for unscheduled repair work. While the rest of the refinery continues to operate safely, the outage has reduced production.

“BP is working to safely restart the unit as soon as possible. In the meantime, the company is working to meet its fuel supply obligations,” the statement said.

Repairs are expected to take about a month, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Chicago-area consumers can expect to get screwed at the pump with higher gas prices.

The Whiting, IN, refinery is the largest in the Midwest, and seventh-largest in the United States. Other Midwestern states, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky are experiencing pain at the pump. A petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com told the Sun-Times that gas prices could climb as high as 75-cents by next week.