CITGO and cheap gas by matcrazy1
My first stop in the Richmond area was at this gas station on my picture, of this company previously unknown for me - CITGO. Well, more specifically it was in Mechanicsville. I always try to remember to fuel up in advance not to waste time for looking for the gas in the last minute which usually is difficult downtown. In this CITGO gas station and generally in Richmond and Virginia prices for gas were average and much lower than in say California. No wonder, California is over-taxed (much more expensive). Part of the reason for the great difference in price is that petroleum used in California's gasoline has to be refined differently than that for anywhere else to meet California's strict environmental codes.
CITGO gas stations are more numerous in the South than in the West. They offer some kind of credit cards (with small discount - gift for new members) but exclusively for US citizens. For foreign visitors there is pre-paid cash card but it was not helpful for me. There is always a convenience store located by CITGO where they sell maps, newspapers, cigarettes, some food, oil and other small automotive items.
CITGO is over 100 years old company (the Cities Service Company before) based in Houston, Texas, was purchased by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in 1990s.