Like drunks on thier last binge, consumption is UP in California, again.

[aztc]

The following newsrelease is also available at:

http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/2006_releases/2006-03-01_gasoline_production.html

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006

CONTACT: Rob Schlichting
Phone: [phone]


California daily gasoline production rises slightly, remains over 1
million barrels

Sacramento- For the second week in a row, California refiners produced an
average of more than a million barrels of reformulated gasoline a day,
according to the Weekly Fuels Watch Report issued today by the California
Energy Commission.

Even though some refiners are producing below full capacity as planned
maintenance shuts down some gasoline and diesel production units,
production of reformulated gasoline for use in California averaged
1,007,429 barrels a day for the week ending February 24, 2006. The figure
is a 0.4 percent increase over the previous week and is up 1.9 percent
from production one year ago. Reformulated gasoline inventories at
refineries dropped 4.1 percent from the previous week and were off 8.8
percent from last year's levels.

For the 22nd consecutive week, production of California diesel was higher
than for that corresponding week in any of the past five years. CARB
diesel production jumped 31.5 percent from the previous week, a 39.4
percent improvement over last year. Inventories rose 27.5 percent compared
to the previous week and were 42.7 percent higher than at this time last
year, as refiners built up California diesel supplies in anticipation of
increased demand during the spring planting season.

Repairs and upgrades are continuing at some refineries as producers
prepare to switch to the summer blend of gasoline during March. In
addtion, many refiners are retooling to meet new federal ultra-low sulfur
standards that go into effect June 1, 2006.

The entire Weekly Fuels Watch Report can be seen on the Energy
Commission's Web site at

www.energy.ca.gov/database/fore

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