Gas prices in Chico quickly rose after an explosion interrupted gasoline production. It occurred at the Exxon Mobil Corp. oil refinery on Feb. 18 in Torrance, where an over-pressurization in the air-pollution-control system caused it to blow up.

A week after the blast retail gas prices have shot up to 25 cents a gallon and the Northern California refinery in Santa Clara was forced to take gas production offline.

The delay of gas production has gas prices soaring and Chico students are not happy with the sudden price changes.

“It’s annoying because it makes traveling home even more expensive.” Lauren Finley, a sophomore Exercise Physiology major said, “We are broke college students.”

On top of this, the recent gas laws in California have also forced the oil industries to raise their prices.

These rises in gas prices are not only affecting the student drivers of Chico but all of California drivers.

Katherine Feaster can be reached at [email protected] or @katfeaster on Twitter.