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An oil refinery just southeast of downtown San Antonio is on fire. The fire started at the AGE Refinery on South Presa, following an explosion. Large black plumes of smoke can be seen spilling into the skies above San Antonio. The plant is located near Mission San Juan on Military Dr. and Presa. AGE Refining, Inc., is based out of San Antonio. They refine several specialized petroleum products, including jet fuel and diesel. The company was founded in 1991. There is at least one burn victim, according to initial reports. Our sister station, KENS 5, has a crew on the...

UPDATE: 5:10 p.m. Billings fire crews are starting to return from a large blaze in a fuel storage tank at the ConocoPhillips refinery, 401 S. 23rd St. Tiffany Wilson, a local spokesperson for ConocoPhillips, said the tank fire started at about 3:20 p.m. She said the cause of the fire was not immediately known, but that more details would be released after 5:30 p.m. “Trained emergency response teams have responded and are working to contain the fire. Billings mutual aid has been contacted. The mutual aid consists of Billings Fire Department and fire crews from other local refineries. Right now,...

Among the most recent things to be completely forgotten are the high gas prices, peaking in July 2008 with nationwide averages over $4 per gallon ...What was the government program that fixed this economic problem? The answer is...

Sisters protest high gas prices Mom had to cancel cable to pay for commute By Katie Drake The Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated: 06/24/2008 12:31:32 AM MDT When a daily dose of Hannah Montana became impossible, the Vance sisters knew it was time to take to the streets. Sadie, 9, and her sister Pyper, 7, marched around downtown Salt Lake City chanting, "Lower the gas prices," while carrying homemade signs. The sisters decided to protest after losing their favorite cable TV shows when their mother, Michelle, had to sacrifice cable TV to pay for her daily commute.

Maui drivers watch gas prices reach $4 By JAYMES SONG, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago "Maui No Kai Oi" is a popular Hawaiian saying that means Maui is the best. Mike Sweeney recently moved to this idyllic island from Denver and was hit with the other side of living in paradise with his first visit to the gas pump: Maui is also No. 1 in gas prices. "After seeing the total, I won't be smiling," Sweeney said as he watched the numbers on the Chevron pump spin faster than a slot machine. The pump finally stopped at $97.20, which...

WASHINGTON -- Democrats, seething at the injustice of gasoline prices, have sprung to the aid of embattled motorists. So resolute are Democrats about defending the downtrodden, they are undeterred by the fact that motorists, not acting like people trodden upon, are driving more than ever. Gasoline consumption has increased 2.14 percent during the last year. That probably is explained by the inconvenient (to the Democrats' narrative) truth that Speaker Nancy Pelosi was characteristically overwrought when she said that Democrats intend to do this and that because the price of gasoline recently "set a record" at $3.07 a gallon. In real...

LONDON (Reuters) -- Oil fell to $63 on Thursday continuing a month-long retreat on swelling stockpiles and tensions taken in stride by the market. Markets were already just above five-month lows this week after a sharp price drop sparked by swelling stockpiles, perceptions that supply disruptions from Iran were growing less likely and a mild Atlantic storm season. U.S. crude was down 97 cents at $63.00 barrel in afternoon trade after rising 21 cents on Wednesday, snapping a 12 percent, seven-session slide, its longest losing streak in three years. "The possibility remains that the Iran issue could flare up again...

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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this week called on California Energy Commission Chairman Joe Desmond to investigate possible price gouging by big oil companies, as gasoline prices across much of the state topped $3 a gallon. But Desmond has only two weeks left on the job--and likely won't be there to see the investigation through. Desmond's nomination must be confirmed by both the Senate Rules Committee and the full Senate before May 10 in order for him to keep his post. But the Senate, led by President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, has refused to even schedule a confirmation hearing. Without such...

Can there be a greater temptation for politicians than to have control of an asset that may ensure they keep a grip on power? So it is with President Bush now. So it was with President Clinton in the autumn of 2000. The asset in question is oil in the form of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. With fuel prices at the pump bumping what is for Americans an outrageous $2 (£1.13) a gallon, the temptation might be for Mr Bush to put the odd million barrels of the national reserve on the market to ease prices and voters' pain. After...

The national average retail price of a gallon of diesel leaped 34 cents for the week ending Oct. 3, to a new record of $3.144. That’s $1.09 more than in the same week of 2004. The average price for the week increased to more than $3 a gallon in every region tracked by the U.S. Department of Energy. The biggest increase, 50 cents, was in the Lower Atlantic region; the smallest increase, 14 cents, was in the Rockies. The highest average diesel price was in the Lower Atlantic region at $3.283, the lowest in New England at $3.012. "The diesel...

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines Inc.'s transformation plan, which includes cutting annual costs by $5 billion by the end of next year, is not enough to save the struggling carrier, its chief executive said in a memo to employees that addressed renewed concerns about bankruptcy. The airline's shares plunged. CEO Gerald Grinstein said in Tuesday's memo, which was obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, that the nation's third-largest airline is still working hard to avoid a Chapter 11 filing, but he reiterated there are risks affecting Delta's ability to do that. "In light of what we have accomplished together so...

Strict environmental standards, demand and taxes drive price. California boasts the biggest population of any state, the largest manufacturing base and agricultural harvest, and the highest waterfall and lowest valley. But the Golden State has recently laid claim to a less illustrious distinction: home of the nation's highest-priced gasoline.During this spring's gasoline price run-up, California inherited the title from Hawaii, the island state that relies almost entirely on expensive imported fuel. Even after recent declines, last week's state average of $2.57 outpaced Hawaii by 6 cents and the national average by 39 cents, according to the AAA of Northern California.Why?There...

Nigerian Strike To Focus On Oil ExportsNigeria’s largest labor organization has called for its 2nd national strike — to start Nov. 16 — against recent government hikes in the domestic retail oil price. This strike, however, is strategically aimed at stopping Nigeria’s lucrative oil exports. Nigeria is the world’s seventh largest oil producer, and is the fifth largest provider of oil imported by the United States. If the strike is effective, its effects could ripple through the global oil economy, causing wholesale prices to rise beyond its recent record levels, and raising U.S. gas and fuel prices.

Drivers who wince every time they fill up their tanks are starving for some good news about gas prices as the summer vacation season cranks up. But they're not going to get it. According to industry analysts and executives, the pricing pain at the pump won’t ease this summer, and, if anything, will get worse. Prices vary widely from state to state (Arkansas has the lowest pump prices, California the highest) and from country to country (a Venezuelan fill-up costs less than $2 for the whole tank). Across the globe, the trend is disturbingly constant: Up. The big run-up in...