Gas Prices Spike In MD After Pipeline Shutdown

MARYLAND — Spikes in gas prices were reported in Maryland and other areas after a cyberattack prompted a major gas pipeline shutdown.

Colonial Pipeline, which runs from New York to Texas and delivers 45 percent of fuel to the East Coast, shut down its main pipeline over the weekend as a precaution after the ransomware attack. It has since been reactivated.

Prices at the pump in Maryland have increased 10 cents in the past week, according to the Automobile Association of America.

Maryland’s gas price average was $2.94 Wednesday, an increase of eight cents since Friday and 10 cents week over week.

“While the pipeline shutdown is not the only factor pushing gas prices higher, it is definitely impacting gas prices on the East Coast,” said Ragina C. Ali, spokesperson for at AAA Mid-Atlantic.

“Gas prices typically trend higher at this time of year, with the increase in demand heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend and the busy summer driving season,” Ali said.

Marylanders are paying $1.07 more per gallon than last year for gas and 18 cents more per gallon than they were last month, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

The national average for gas prices reached $3 per gallon Wednesday, the highest since October 2014.

Although the Colonial Pipeline restarted Wednesday night, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan reported: "It will take some time for normal operations to resume."

A line that runs from Greensboro, N.C., to Woodbine, Md., was restored Wednesday. Colonial also began manually opening parts of the pipeline to transport fuel to Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey and North and South Carolina.

Consumers can expect a small increase in shortages on Thursday followed by further recovery in the next 48 hours as Colonial Pipeline brings parts of its network back online, according to AAA.

Colonial Pipeline reported it made "substantial progress" in safely restarting its pipeline system. By late in the day, officials said the Baltimore area should be getting product.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, fuel information resource Gas Buddy reported 39 percent of Maryland gas stations had reported shortages. That was up from about 4 percent Wednesday morning.

A gas station on East Drive in Arbutus was out of gas Thursday afternoon, Patch found. Several gas stations in the York Road area in Baltimore County were out of fuel too, according to WMAR. The Erdman Avenue Exxon in Baltimore and Carroll Motor Fuels on Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park were also out of gas, The Baltimore Sun reported.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday it is allowing Maryland and other states in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic to use interstate highways to transport overweight loads of gasoline and other fuels under existing disaster declarations.

Southwest and United flights traveling to the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport carried additional jet fuel in case there were shortages, NBC reported.

Hogan authorized the Maryland Department of Transportation to take emergency measures such as increasing weight limits for vehicles transporting petroleum products to ensure continuity of fuel supply throughout the state.

"We continue to advise Marylanders that there is no need for panic buying or hoarding," Hogan said.

Comptroller Peter Franchot echoed the sentiment, saying in a statement: "We urge you to not panic purchase!"

Our agency continues to monitor Maryland's gas supply chain and will work with our partners to assist in maintaining the best flow of fuel to Maryland consumers. We urge you TO NOT PANIC PURCHASE!
— Comptroller of Maryland #ShopMD (@MDComptroller) May 12, 2021

Drivers can scout for fuel using Gas Buddy, which has updates on stations that still have gas supply and those that are running low.

As gas prices continue to fluctuate, AAA released these tips to fill up less:

• Plan ahead to accomplish multiple errands in one trip, and whenever possible avoid high-traffic times of day.
• Use the most fuel-efficient car possible on longer journeys.
• Remove extra items and roof racks since it takes more fuel to accelerate a heavier car.
• Open windows are better for mileage than air conditioning, which still requires engine power.
• Park in the shade or use a windshield sunscreen in hot weather to lessen heat buildup inside the car. This reduces the need for air conditioning.

A federal emergency declaration issued last week provides regulatory relief and assistance to send gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined petroleum products into these affected areas: Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Officials with Colonial Pipeline said they immediately engaged cybersecurity experts after discovering the ransomware attack and launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the incident.

"We have remained in contact with law enforcement and other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, who is leading the federal government response," according to a statement from Colonial Pipeline.

Unlike the electric utility industry, the U.S. pipeline industry is not subject to mandatory cybersecurity standards, even though both are designated as critical energy infrastructure by the federal government.

On Tuesday, Richard Glick, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said it is "time to establish mandatory pipeline cybersecurity standards similar to those applicable to the electricity sector," according to a statement.

"Simply encouraging pipelines to voluntarily adopt best practices is an inadequate response to the ever-increasing number and sophistication of malevolent cyber actors," Glick said. "Mandatory pipeline security standards are necessary to protect the infrastructure on which we all depend."

Pipeline companies and their trade associations, though, have opposed mandatory cybersecurity rules for years due to the cost of implementing them.

Related: MD Gas Outages Double, Prices Increase; Don't Hoard Hogan Asks

Deb Belt, Mark Hand and Eric Heyl contributed to this report.