If there are refineries that have capacity and no oil to process, then this is a good move. Gas prices have gone up $.50 in the past two days here. The reason is that supplies are tight and only getting tighter. The only way to curb consumption and avoid running out is to jack prices up. I would suggest we can all do something to help by curtailing our driving as much as possible.
Folks, this is NOT TRUE. Whoever is peddling this rationale is spinning tales.
There is NO "SHORTAGE" of anything. If there was, you would not be able to just 'drive up' to a pump and get your tank filled. You would actually be seeing LINES of cars outside of gas stations, like I saw back in 1973.
You need to understand that what's driving the price levels is not "shortage" but "HIGH DEMAND" which is being met by OPEC's capacity to produce to that demand, and the future's markets realizing the strength of that demand by bidding prices up.
The gas retailers (your local station), seeing no let up, are actually playing the 'demand' game by raising their prices in huge jumps because they know that their inventories will move quickly due to this current, and continuing expected future demand.
Until we all get serious about conservation (and maybe public transportation/carpooling/bikes, etc.), things will only get worse. We can all do our share and perhaps begin to make a difference.