Chevron El Segundo Fire Threatens West Fuel Supply

A large explosion and fire tore through Chevron’s El Segundo refinery, one of the West Coast’s biggest (processing roughly 269,000–300,000 barrels a day), and crews had largely contained the blaze by Friday with no reported injuries while officials continue assessing damage. The facility supplies about one-fifth of Southern California’s motor fuel capacity and a large share of regional jet fuel, and early reports indicate damage to the Isomax unit that primarily produces mid‑distillates such as jet fuel. Analysts from GasBuddy and others project a wide range of pump‑price outcomes depending on outage length and repairs — from modest regional upticks of roughly 5–20 cents per gallon to much larger spikes of 35–95 cents, with some warnings that severe cases could push prices above $5 per gallon. Experts say the timing and magnitude of any price effects will hinge on how much production is lost, how quickly imports and stored inventories can be rerouted, and the fact that many refineries are entering seasonal maintenance, meaning full mitigation could take weeks. Officials and analysts are urging drivers not to rush to fill tanks to avoid panic buying, while motorists across California and parts of the West should expect near‑term price pressure.