by Katy Grimes, E&E Legal Senior Media Fellow and California Globe Editor
As Appearing in the California Globe
Duh: ‘Does less oil drilling and more imports lead to higher gas prices in California?’
The Sacramento Bee published an article last week claiming that it’s not true that Californians are paying higher gas prices because the state no longer produces most of its own oil and instead imports the majority of its supply.
“Claim: Californians are paying higher gas prices because the state no longer produces most of its own oil and instead imports the majority of its supply.”
The Bee claims that statement is “misleading:”
Californians for Energy Independence, an organization tied to the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA), is behind the digital and television spots.
Why is this “misleading?” The Bee explains:
The ad says California has “shut down about 25% of local oil production in the last four years” and says California imports 75% of its oil, resulting in an “unstable energy supply and even higher gas prices for working families.”
This is accurate only if you count Alaskan oil as “imported,” which the industry seems to do. California produced about 29% of its own crude in 2021, according to data from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Nearly 15% came from Alaska and the remaining 56% was imported from other countries.
Well, if California isn’t producing all of the oil needed to fuel the state’s nearly 40 million residents, then we are “importing” it, regardless where it comes from – the Continental U.S. or a foreign country.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the state’s crude oil production did decline by about 25% from 2018 to 2022, the Bee fact checkers admit.
It’s far worse than that.
