Sen. Wyden presses Energy Dept. for info on gas price surge

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is seeking information about oil and refining market conditions from the Energy Department ahead of a committee hearing on gasoline price increases.

Wyden – who recently said this year’s price surge has “no reasonable explanation” – wrote to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) asking whether there have been disruptions in oil imports or production, refining capacity, or pipelines that explain the surge.

“This most recent round of gas price increases has come at a time of year when gas prices are typically at their lowest point, but that has not been the case this autumn and winter,” states Wyden’s letter Monday to EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski.

Wyden plans to hold a hearing this spring.

Gasoline prices surged for weeks beginning in mid-January 2013, setting records for the time of year, although prices remain well below the all-time high reached in the summer of 2008.

Prices have fallen back over the last week, and the average nationwide price for regular gasoline Monday is $3.70-per-gallon, according to AAA. Prices began the year averaging $3.29-per-gallon, according to AAA.

Wyden’s letter also asks for an array of information on import and production levels, refining costs and capacity broken down by region, rail and barge shipments, and other topics.

The letter to EIA, which is the Energy Department’s independent statistics and analysis arm, is available here.

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