Great Lakes Gas Prices Up After Partial Refinery Shutdown

DETROIT (AP) - Prices at the pump remain up across the Great Lakes region because of the unexpected, partial shutdown of a large Indiana oil refinery.

Dearborn-based AAA Michigan, which surveys prices at 2,800 Michigan gas stations, said Thursday morning the statewide average was about $2.80 a gallon, about 22 cents more than Wednesday's average but down about 75 cents from a year ago.

According to GasBuddy.com, the most affected states are Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois, but others, including Minnesota and Wisconsin, are saw increases.

Gas prices here in the St. Cloud metro area went up to $2.79 a gallon a several area stations yesterday (Wednesday).

The BP Whiting Refinery in northern Indiana shut down the largest of three crude distillation units Saturday for what the company in a statement called "unscheduled repair work." BP says that the rest of the refinery is operating at reduced production.