As oil industry in California wanes, what will become of shuttered refineries?

"The once-dominant industry, which in California dates back more than 150 years ago, has long been on the decline. Oil fields once carpeted the landscape, from Brea to Signal Hill, but have since been whittled down or, in some cases, erased entirely - replaced by parks or houses."

"The massive Phillips 66 Los Angeles Refinery, which comprised 659 acres across two facilities in Carson and Wilmington, connected by a 5-mile pipeline, officially closed on Dec. 31. The closure has further threatened an industry car-centric California has relied upon for generations."

"Combined with the Phillips 66 refinery, which produced about 139,000 barrels of crude oil and 85,000 barrels of gasoline per day, California is set to lose nearly 20% of its refining capacity."

California's oil industry, once dominant for over 150 years, continues its steep decline. The state ranks seventh in crude oil production despite maintaining third-place refining capacity. Environmental regulations and state policy reforms have contributed to this downturn. The closure of Phillips 66's Los Angeles refinery on December 31, 2024—one of Southern California's largest and oldest facilities—marks a critical turning point. Additional refinery closures at Marathon Martinez and Valero in Benicia will eliminate approximately 20% of California's refining capacity. These facilities collectively produced significant volumes of crude oil and gasoline daily, representing substantial losses for an industry that has historically powered California's economy.

Read at The Mercury News