"The damage caused by a fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond will take months to repair and will hobble one of the West Coast's biggest sources of fuel, industry experts said Wednesday."

"And while panic buying appears to have prompted a jump in wholesale gasoline prices after Monday night's fire, analysts say, the longer-term effect on California drivers may not be as dire as initially feared.

The fire erupted in the facility's only crude-oil processing unit, the heart of any refinery. So far company officials have not disclosed the extent of damage or a timetable for bringing the unit back online."

David R. Baker, Jaxon Van Derbeken, and Eric Nalder report for the San Francisco Chronicle August 8, 2012. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"America's Chemical Plants Are Ticking Time Bombs" (Greenpeace) [3]

"Questions Raised About Chevron's Handling of Gas Leak That Sparked Massive Blaze" (Contra Costa Times) [4]

"Richmond Air Quality Safe, Analysis Says" (San Francisco Chronicle) [5]

"Refinery Fire Could Boost Gas Prices Nationwide" (Detroit Free Press) [6]

"Chevron Claims Seen as Not Worth Trouble" (San Francisco Chronicle) [7]