California Refinery Closures Leave 1,700 Without Jobs

California is losing its fuel industry — and fast. Nearly 1,700 workers are watching their careers disappear as major oil refineries permanently shut down and abandon the state. Phillips 66 and Valero are pulling out, wiping out high-paying union jobs and sending shockwaves through entire communities.

This investigative report exposes:

Why refineries are leaving California

The brutal human cost on workers and families

How gas prices could surge to $6–$8 per gallon

Billions in lost tax revenue and thousands more jobs at risk

The governor’s controversial silence while companies flee

Are California leaders prioritizing climate goals over working-class families? Or is the state simply becoming too expensive and hostile for major industry to survive?

This is the untold economic crisis unfolding right now — and the future of California may depend on what happens next.


Want to verify the facts in this video? Here are all the credible sources we used for our research:

Government & Official Sources:

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
California Energy Commission
California State Senate

Company Sources:

Phillips 66 Investor Relations
Valero Energy Investor Relations

Major News Outlets:

CNN
Wall Street Journal
Yahoo Finance
KCRA

Industry & Energy Publications:

OilPrice.com
Stillwater Associates
ETF Trends
Inspectioneering
World-Energy

California-Focused News:

CalMatters
California Globe
Inside Climate News
The Center Square
HERE Los Angeles

Research & Policy Organizations:

UC Berkeley Labor Center
Union of Concerned Scientists
BlueGreen Alliance

Other:

Offshore Technology
Greenberg Traurig LLP (legal analysis)
Moneywise