[Carry_Okie]

Gasoline blending products are routinely shipped to different parts of the nation and blended to meet the local recipe.

If what you were saying was true, then a fire at the Chevron plant in Richmond would affect gas prices nationwide.

It won't. The price increase will only be in locations served by California refineries.

California is a captive market for gasoline producers with a fatter markup and you know it. The reason is regulation of the supply side. The NRDC is the petrochemical industry's best friend.

[thackney]

The 240,000-barrel-a-day plant is operating the fluid catalytic cracker, which processes vacuum gasoil into gasoline and lighter products, off of feedstock stored in tanks, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The refinery is also running one of two units at an Isomax hydrocracking complex at 60 percent capacity and the lube plant at low rates, the person said.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-08-08/chevron-said-to-cut-california-gasoline-production-after-fire

Not the whole nation, just the neighboring areas.