Gasoline prices fluctuated wildly in Southern California this weekend, with the average price going up 38 cents in three days.

A refinery shutdown in Torrance, and a gap in gasoline imports, caused
wholesale prices to skyrocket, experts said.

That led to wild differences in gas prices. Two competing gas stations
in Woodland Hills, which normally charge about the same price, were 58 cents
apart Saturday afternoon: $3.72 per gallon at one, and $4.30 at the other.

Overnight, Los Angeles County recorded its largest daily increase since
the record increase of Oct. 5, 2012, as a gallon rose 13.7 cents, to $3.972.

That was on top of a 13.4 cent hike on Saturday and 11.1 cents on
Friday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The Orange County average price rose 12 cents today, to $3.879. It had
sone up 13.4 cents on Saturday and 12.8 cents on Friday.

The sharp increases are the result of a lack of both gasoline produced
in California and imported fuel, according to Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum
analyst for GasBuddy.com, which bills itself as the leading provider of retail
fuel pricing information and data.
The average price in Los Angeles County dropped 48 of the previous 52
days through Thursday. It is 37.4 cents more than one week ago and 23.9 cents
higher than a month ago but 21.4 cents less than one year ago.
The Orange County average price had dropped 50 of the previous 54 days
through Thursday. It is 38.3 cents more than one week ago and 26.6 cents
higher than a month ago but 24.5 cents less than one year ago.