Gas Shortages, Prices Spike During Colonial Pipeline Shutdown

ACROSS AMERICA — Motorists across the East Coast and Southeast states are scrambling to fill their gas tanks Wednesday, creating a panic-fueled surge in fuel demand and driving up prices at the pump after a recent cyberattack temporarily shut down the Colonial Pipeline.

Emergencies have been declared in multiple states, and more than 1,000 gas stations across the East Coast are out of fuel on Wednesday, according to an Associated Press report.

The mad dash for gas follows a weekend cyberattack on the pipeline, which delivers about 45 percent of the gasoline consumed on the East Coast, according to a report by The Associated Press. Such hackers typically lock up computer systems and then demand a ransom to release them.

In response, Colonial shut down the pipeline Saturday. While a large part of the pipeline resumed operations manually late Monday, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm tweeted Wednesday that Colonial was planning to restart operations around 5 p.m. that evening.

Meanwhile, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline climbed above $3 for the first time since 2016 on Wednesday, according to the AAA auto club.

Despite the long lines at many gas stations, there is no actual gas shortage, according to government officials and energy analysts. However, if the shutdown continues past the weekend, it could create broader fuel disruptions.

“What you’re feeling is not a lack of supply or a supply issue. What we have is a transportation issue,” Jeanette McGee, spokeswoman for the AAA auto club, told The AP. “There is ample supply to fuel the United States for the summer, but what we’re having an issue with is getting it to those gas stations because the pipeline is down.”

The affected states and territories include Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

While the pipeline runs from the Gulf Coast to the New York metropolitan region, states in the Southeast are more reliant on the pipeline for fuel.

Here’s a look at what’s happening in states affected by the shutdown:

In North Carolina, 3 Out Of 4 Stations Are Without Fuel

As of Tuesday, at least 71 percent of Charlotte stations had no gas left in their tanks for sale, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, told Charlotte Patch.

In Raleigh, an estimated 72 percent of stations were without gas. Elsewhere in the state, about 69 percent of stations in the New Bern/Greenville region, and about 78 percent of stations in the Asheville upstate region, were also dry.

The Charlotte Observer reported that "panic buying" was occurring across the state.

“I don’t know when (more gas) is coming. Nobody else has any,” Glenda Wendt told the Observer as she waited in line for gas Tuesday. “It is not a must, but I’d rather get it while there is some than none at all.”

Read more on North Carolina gas shortages on Charlotte Patch

State Of Emergency Declared In Georgia

Nearly three out of every five gas stations in metro Atlanta were out of gas Wednesday morning, according to GasBuddy.com.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency prohibiting price gouging following the Colonial cyberattack. He also said Georgia is increasing the weight limits for trucks transporting fuel, providing more supply for stations as they receive deliveries.

Since the pipeline shutdown, Colonial worked to deliver more than 41 million gallons of gas to Georgia gas stations by Tuesday.

Read more on Georgia gas shortages on Atlanta Patch

Virginia Shortages Grow; D.C. Supply Fine

In Virginia, a growing number of gas stations are without supplies as residents race to the pumps to fill their tanks.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, 42 percent of Virginia's nearly 3,900 stations were without gasoline, up dramatically from 17 percent earlier in the day, according to GasBuddy. In D.C., about 8 percent of stations are out of gas.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday to help the state prepare for potential supply shortages. The emergency declaration also allows state authorities to crack down on price gouging of gas and fuel.

Read more on Virginia gas shortages on Arlington Patch

Maryland Faring Well — For Now

Reports of gas stations without fuel increased Wednesday in Maryland, yet only 9 percent had reported some pumps without gasoline.

Gov. Larry Hogan said that since Saturday morning, Maryland has been closely coordinating with the federal administration and local jurisdictions.

"While the operators of the pipeline currently anticipate that the disruption is likely to be short-term, we are prepared for all contingencies," Hogan tweeted. "We will keep Marylanders informed of any significant impacts on our fuel supply. For now, drivers should proceed as normal."

Read more on Maryland gas shortages on Annapolis Patch

New Jersey Sees Spike In Gas Prices

Farther north, a state of emergency was also declared in New Jersey as the various parts of the state report climbing gas prices. Drivers are seeing price increases at the pump as gas averages have increased at least 8 cents in many areas, according to AAA.

If the trend continues, an increase of 3 more cents would make the national average the most expensive since November 2014 — the last time average prices were at $2.99 and higher, the association said. New Jersey's current average is $3.03.

Read more on New Jersey gas prices on Princeton Patch