BAKERSFIELD, CA – AUGUST 14: The Shell Bakersfield Refinery in the town of Oildale on August 14, 2004 near Bakersfield, California. The refinery will continue to operate past its planned October 1 shutdown as part of an accord between Shell and state Attorney General Bill Lockyer who has been pressuring Shell to keep the plant open or find a buyer. The move to keep the plant running until December 31 or beyond is being called a temporary victory for California motorists as closing the 70,000 barrel a day refinery could escalate already-high gasoline prices. Shell, the U.S. unit of Royal Dutch/Shell Group, says local supplies of crude oil have declined. California’s Central Valley is one of the nation’s most important agricultural and oil producing areas. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)