WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Gas prices are climbing across Central Texas, and experts say global tensions are not the only factor driving costs higher. The seasonal switch to summer blend gasoline is adding another 30 to 50 cents per gallon at the pump just as summer travel season gets underway.
Refineries are required to transition to a cleaner-burning fuel formulation each year during warmer months to help reduce emissions. That process comes with added costs and temporary production slowdowns.
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"Because of various environmental regulations, they changed the blend of the gasoline to reduce emissions. So that involves the refinery shutting down their operations for a little bit while they switch the blends over. And some of those blend materials are more expensive, that plays a role as well. So they kind of had multiple problems happening at once between the switchover into summer blend gasoline, the continued tension in the Strait of Hormuz, and then increase in demand in the US driving sector," John Calce, an oil and gas expert, said.
Demand is also rising as more Americans take to the road for summer vacations, a trend that historically pushes prices higher each year.
"Traditionally in the US, even outside of the Strait of Hormuz issue, summer gasoline prices typically go up a little bit, and that's a combination of increased demand. A lot of Americans hit the road for vacation in the summertime. The great American road trip is still a thing," Calce said.
For many Central Texas drivers, higher gas prices are simply an unavoidable reality.
"It's affecting it quite a bit because it takes more today than it did a year ago," one Waco-area driver said.
Another driver summed up the sentiment shared by many at the pump.
"You kinda just have to get gas whether you want to or not. So just stick the card in and roll with it," the driver said.
Experts say prices could fluctuate throughout the summer, with global oil markets and vacation travel continuing to play a significant role in what Central Texans pay at the pump.
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