Even as inflation cools across most of the economy, gasoline prices have surged to nine-month highs this week
. Extreme heat is contributing to this unwelcome price spike. The problem is that refineries, like humans, can’t handle persistently sweltering temperatures. When temperatures soar to 100 or even 110 degrees Fahrenheit, these complex facilities can’t churn out all the gasoline consumers want or need. And that loss of supply is occurring just as demand is at or near a peak this summer driving season. “Refineries break down in extreme heat.
Why high heat matters In order to churn out gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, refineries heat crude oil, sometimes to 900 or 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, to break the molecules down, according to Andy Lipow, president of consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates. After heating the oil, it must be cooled to get the finished product. Normally, that is a standard process, but everything changes in triple-digit temperatures that persist.
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