California ports expose the state as a national security risk to America

With no pipelines over the Sierra Mountains, California is an energy island separated from the crude oil supply and the infrastructure of oil refineries within the other 49 States.

Collectively, California, the 4^th largest economy in the world, consumes a humongous 61 million gallons of ALL transportation fuels PER DAY (jet fuel, 3 grades of gasoline, and diesel fuel). With California being an "energy island" the transportation fuel demands have been made in California by in-state refineries for airports, cars, trucks, and ships which have staggering numbers FROM those in-state refineries.

• Jet fuel: With all 145 airports, including 9 international airports and 41 military airports, the demand in 2024 was 93,494,000 barrels per year,or almost 40 billion gallons per year, or about 11 million gallons of jet fuel PER DAY.
• Gasoline: Gasoline is California's most widely used transportation fuel, serving its 30 million vehicles. Light-duty cars, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles account for 97% of consumption. In 2024, 13.4 billion gallons of gasoline were sold, averaging 40 million gallons per day.
• Diesel: The second largest transportation fuel used in California, representing 17 percent of total fuel sales behind gasoline. In 2024, 3.5 billion gallons of diesel were soldor almost 10 million gallons of diesel fuel per day

California refinery history

In the past, California had 41 refineries in all. By 2023 the state was down to 11 major refineries that were still online processing crude oil.

In 2023 both Marathon in Martinez and Conoco Phillips in Rodeo converted their refineries for renewable diesel transportation fuel runs.

• This removed 256,000 barrels per day of crude oil processing capacity, cutting gasoline production by approximately 5.6 to 6 million gallons per day-about 17% of California's gasoline output-and eliminating nearly 1.2 million gallons per day of jet fuel production.

  In October of 2025 the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington went offline. Wilmington had a crude oil charge rate of 139,000 barrels per day.

• This removed 3 million gallons per day of gasoline production, along with nearly 2 million gallons per day of jet fuel and diesel, reducing the state's gasoline output by 8% to 9%.

On January 31, 2026, the Valero Refinery in Benicia shut down its operations.

• The resulting gasoline fuel production loss was equivalent to 3.8 million gallons per day or nearly 12% of the state's daily consumption. Jet fuel and diesel fuel production losses equaled 1.3 million gallons per day.

From energy dominance to energy dependent

Today, California is importing nearly 38% of its gasoline transportation fuel demands from foreign refineries.

In addition, crude oil processing rates have been down by 33% since 2023. This has forced California to import its transportation fuel requirements from refineries located in foreign countries.