Higher WA Gas Prices Unrelated To Georgia Pipeline Problems: AAA

SEATTLE — The average for a gallon of gas in Washington has grown nearly 20 cents in the last month, but experts say the recent rise is not linked to the shortages and panic-buying rocking many Southeastern states.

The fallout from a recent cyberattack on the Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline Company continues this week, with gas stations now running dry in parts of South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida, and long fuel lines reported in Washington, D.C.

The Colonial Pipeline is the nation's largest, estimated to supply nearly half of the East Coast. Even as the pipeline begins to resume operations, it will likely take a few more days for deliveries to catch up.

In Washington, drivers may have noticed higher gas prices in recent weeks, but experts say the increases are unrelated to the pipeline disruption, as the Pacific Northwest sources its refined fuel from elsewhere. However, the situation may have been different if the Southeast's outage stretched a bit longer.

"The only way we would be impacted is if the pipeline was shut down for an extensive period of time and some refined fuel needed to be pulled from other territories, which puts a strain on supplies," said Jennifer Cook, with AAA Washington. "It looks like the pipeline is expected to be up soon...so it's not likely this will happen."

As for why gas is getting more expensive in Washington, Cook said it's mostly seasonal and in line with recent pre-pandemic years.

"Gas prices typically start to increase in late January/early February as refineries slow production to switch to summer-fuel blends and do maintenance," she said. "This upward trend lasts until June and then plateaus for the summer."

According to AAA's latest metrics, Washington's statewide average for regular gasoline is around $3.52, and a few cents higher in King, Pierce and Snohomish County. While about a dollar higher than last year, Cook noted that gas prices took a nosedive in 2020 during state-at-home orders across the nation. Washington's current average is nearly identical to the same time in 2019, at $3.54 per gallon, and 2018, at $3.39 per gallon.

While the timeline this year has been a little unusual, Cook said the good news is that Washington should not see prices go too much higher this summer.

"This year was a little different in that prices spiked much faster and plateaued much sooner," she said. "Crude oil prices are staying low, we have good supplies of refined fuel, so we shouldn't see too much more of an increase before the summer plateau settles in for good."