Gas still available but pipeline shutdown causes concern on the Gulf Coast
Long lines and long waits greet gas customers
(OBA®) – Gas was flowing at most places in Orange Beach before 7 a.m. on May 11 but one of those places was not the iconic Sam’s Stop ‘N’ Shop on Canal Road.
“I can’t get gas right now,” co-owner Steve Russo said. “I usually place an order by email and a few hours later get a confirmation email back. I sent an email at 4 a.m. yesterday (May 10) and still haven’t received confirmation.”
The recently hacked pipeline network from Texas through the lower south and on up the Eastern Seaboard caused operators to shut it down five days ago. The 5,500-mile Colonial Pipeline carries about 100 million gallons of fuel from Texas to New Jersey each day.
“I believe it’s really related to that,” Russo said. “Refineries down here can’t get gas because the pipeline is shut down.”
On the Alabama Gulf Coast, residents were posting pictures of long lines for gas and some stations were out of fuel like Sam’s. On May 11 J&M Tackle, Tom Thumb and Circle K along Canal Road all had customers fueling at the pumps.
“There are a lot of customers, there’s a little bit of a wait but we’re OK right now and looking to be OK going forward,” Kathy Giannini of J&M Tackle said. “We’re not going to panic just yet. As of right now we are in good shape and hoping for the best. Gas has been ordered but we kind of like everybody else. We’re just waiting to see and we’re optimistic. We don’t want to see another toilet paper situation.”
Russo says even when it starts flowing again it may take time because suppliers will be facing a large demand almost immediately.
“I get mine out of Pensacola but when they do get more gas it’ll take time to catch up so it may be a while,” Russo said. “I’m not too worried. I think once they assess how big a threat this is and evaluate it, we’ll start getting gas. But they’ll use this an excuse to raise prices.”
Further hampering one Pensacola supplier, TransMontaigne Partners LP, are EPA violations that have shut the facility down, according to published reports. In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency to “help North Carolina prepare for any potential motor vehicle fuel supply interruptions across the state and ensure motorists are able to have access to fuel,” the governor said in a news release.
Several rumors are flying around social media including a map that shows parts of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida shaded in green as an area that doesn't rely on the pipeline for gas. A source with the fuel transportation industry who wished to remain anonymous said that particular rumor is totally false. The source also said trucks are at the depots waiting for pipeline deliveries and leave to make deliveries as soon as fuel is available.
On the government side, a regulation that prohibits fuel tankers from traveling at night has been relaxed until the current crisis passes.
Another rumor about a shortage of drivers is also untrue another fuel transportation industry source said, also asking to remain anonymous. Fuel tanker drivers face far more extensive training and vetting than regular rig drivers and make much more money, the source said. While the regular trucking industry may need drivers this source said there are plenty available drivers for fuel trucks.
According to Patrick De Haan who calls himself Gas Buddy Guy on twitter only about .43 percent of Alabama stations are without fuel. Here is a list of southeast states station closings:
- Georgia 3.76% of 6368 stations
- Alabama 0.43% of 3682
- Tennessee 0.03% of 4007
- South Carolina 1.71% of 3084
- North Carolina 5.42% of 5372
- Florida 2.48% of 7562
- Virginia 7.5% of 3880
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